THE IDEA OF YOU
Starring: Anne Hathaway and Nicholas Galitzine
Director: Michael Showalter
ADRIANO
The Idea of You has greatly grown on me. It certainly has its pitfalls, as it follows familiar beats and director Michael Showalter seemingly has no directorial vision for any of his movies, including this one. However, while the rom-com stuff is endearing and Anne Hathaway and Nicholas Galitzine are great together, the movie is very mature in its handling of the subject, doing a great job in its sincere approach to age-gap relationships and tabloid culture. Dare I say it, I got pretty emotional towards the end, making this a successful rom-com.
KATIE
The Idea of You is a fun and appropriately unrealistic fan-fiction-inspired rom-com that is elevated by Anne Hathaway’s undeniable star power. Playing 40-year-old mother Solène, there is a searing chemistry with 24-year-old Hayes Campbell, played by Nicholas Galitzine, although her glamour and beauty make it hard to believe anyone would question his attraction to her. Nonetheless, I was pleasantly surprised that the film touched on some interesting points about age-gap relationships and the unique type of misogyny that affects women in the public eye, but it would have been more satisfying if it interrogated these issues further.
CALEB
I’m not above a schmaltzy, feel-good romance, but there’s no fun to be had with The Idea of You. There’s no romantic chemistry or sexual tension between Anne Hathaway or Nicholas Galitzine, and the whole narrative feels overwhelmingly sad (but not in the right way). The sincere attempt to explore aging is occasionally effective, but it is hard to take it seriously amidst all the boy-band melodrama. The cinematography reminded me of a bad Hallmark movie too, and it's surprising Hathaway would attach herself to something so cheap. I know she’s rom-com royalty, but The Idea of You is well below her usual standards.
PAIGE
The Idea of You turned out to be a more thoughtful and sophisticated romantic movie than I had anticipated. While the story is predictable and feels like fan-fiction at times, it strikes a decent balance between its light and heavy moments fairly well. Plus, the chemistry between Anne Hathaway and Nicholas Galitzine keeps this film ticking along. You can't take your eyes off of them as they radiate through the screen, producing an intense passion. Overall, despite being cheesy and cliché, this movie is easy to swoon over because of its warmth and lightheartedness.
