Kareena Rana
New Rom-Com The Idea Of You struggles to find its footing, but is it still worth the watch?
It’s not uncommon for fans of big boybands to fantasise about their own love stories, conjuring up stories about the guitarist falling for them. This is precisely the plot of Amazon Studio’s new rom-com, The Idea Of You.
“This intense relationship defies age expectations and societal norms, exploring the transformative power of love.”
Based on Robinne Lee’s novel of the same name, it focuses on Solène, a 40-year-old single mom who finds herself falling for 24-year-old Hayes Campbell, the lead singer of the hottest boyband ever.
Starring Anne Hathaway, the film delves deep into the unpredictable nature of love. The story begins when Solène takes her teenage daughter to a music festival, where she meets Hayes. Their connection becomes clear immediately and leads to a passionate, whirlwind romance. This intense relationship defies age expectations and societal norms, exploring the transformative power of love.
Hathaway captures her character’s vulnerability and strength very well as she portrays a woman rediscovering herself. Nicholas Galitzine’s Hayes is charming and compelling, moving beyond the typical pop star stereotype. Their chemistry is strong enough to make the seemingly unlikely relationship engaging, and the love story feels credible.
“scenes that should have been dramatic felt comedic instead”
The film explores mature themes relevant to modern audiences, such as societal pressures. Balancing personal desires with responsibilities and embracing unconventional paths especially well conveys the message that even unconventional love is valid. However, given the albeit brief sexual scenes, it is not one to sit down and watch with the whole family.
The pacing can also feel uneven at times, and some subplots are underdeveloped. Delving deeper into these smaller situations would have made for a better overall film. While the film does address the obvious age difference, its portrayal still feels a little predictable, which is disappointing to see in such a modern take. At times, the film felt particularly cringeworthy, and scenes that should have been dramatic felt comedic instead.
Despite some minor issues, The Idea Of You is, for the most part, a refreshing take on the romance genre. It challenges conventional love stories and emotionally depicts two people finding passion in each other. The performances by Hathaway and Galitzine make this film a must-watch for those who believe love can be messy, chaotic, and unpredictable. While it can sometimes be cringe-worthy, its charm more than makes up for it.
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Featured image courtesy of Photo by Khamkéo Vilaysing on Unsplash. No Changes have been made to this image. Image license found here.
Kareena Rana
Journalist. Studying at BCU, in my final year. 20. Instagram: longstoryshortbykareena X/Twitter: kareenarana12 Blog: https://longstoryshortbykareena.weebly.com/