The Stream: The basic storyline that gets repetitive.

The Big Screen: Anne Hathaway gives a standout performance.

The Final Bill: Although you’ve seen this love story before, the performances and light tone make the movie easy to enjoy.

– Trip Fontaine
Director: Michael Showalter
Writers: Michael Showalter and Jennifer Westfeldt based on a novel by Robinne Lee
Stars: Anne Hathaway, Nicholas Galitzine, Ella Rubin, Reid Scott, Annie Mumolo
Genre: Romance, Drama, Comedy
Rating: R for some language and sexual content
Runtime: 1 hour 55 minutes
Production Companies: Amazon Studios, I’ll Have Another, Somewhere Pictures, Welle Entertainment
Platform: On Prime Video May 2, 2024

What’s love got to do with it, Streamers!? Well, in the romantic comedies, you’d hope that love has at least something to do with it. While I wouldn’t call it a romantic comedy per se, The Idea of You does deal with what happens when unexpected love comes into a woman’s life. Based on the novel of the same name by Robinne Lee, Anne Hathaway plays Solene, a forty-year-old woman, who’s raising a teenage daughter and running an art gallery while still reeling from her divorce. When Solene unexpectedly has to accompany her daughter to Coachella to see August Moon, a popular boy band, she has a chance encounter with the band’s heartthrob, Hayes Campbell (Nicholas Galitzine). The younger man takes a shine to Solene and sparks begin to fly. Love struck hijinks ensue.

If The Idea of You is supposed to be a romantic comedy, then it sorely fails on the comedy aspects. There are virtually no moments that I consider to be comedic. The movie has a light tone, but that’s because it’s a love story – not a comedy. Now, as a romantic drama, it is pretty successful. The love story between Solene and Hayes generates some real tension. Hathaway and Galitzine have good enough chemistry that it’s believable that their characters would be attracted to each other. The drama that comes from their age difference and his fame is interesting enough to carry the movie for 90 minutes (maybe not for 2 hours though). While the overall story is basic and repetitive as these romantic movies go, it’s inoffensive enough that you’ll enjoy it for what it is.

This movie really benefits from having a mature Anne Hathaway at its center. Her performance is charming. She is able to be really engaging and convey her desire for love and her concern about everything involving Hayes. She makes the audience root for Solene.

Ultimately, The Idea of You is a pretty good romantic drama. It is an easy watch with a light tone even if the storyline is basic and repetitive. The movie is supported by a standout performance from Anne Hathaway who has good chemistry with her romantic lead. This movie would be an enjoyable afternoon watch on a rainy day. Grab a bowl of popcorn and stream this romance.