The Idea of You (2024) Review:When Hayes met Solène

This romantic comedy by director Michael Showalter follows a 40-year-old single mom who strikes up a romance with a 24-year-old famous boy band singer. Only Anne Hathaway can make dating your daughter’s pop idol look OK. An adaptation of the novel by author Robinne Lee, the screenplay was written by the director and the actress Jennifer Westfeldt.

This film is the definition of a One Direction fanfiction come true- think of a fan falling in love with Harry Styles! Pretty cliché. It’s interesting to note, though, that Lee has made it apparent that neither the plot of The Idea of You nor its designation as a Harry Styles fanfic was meant to follow a traditional love story, despite talks linking the book to the singer/actor.

I watched it solely because of Anne Hathaway, who as usual, dazzles in any role she decides to embody- even as this 40-year-old Solène Marchand. Supporting her ground power in this modern rom-com, she is joined on-screen by the Red, White and Royal Blue alum, British actor, Nicholas Galitzine, the story traces their budding romance after an unexpected encounter when she takes her daughter to Coachella and crosses paths with Hayes Campbell, the 24-year-old frontman of a boyband named August Moon. Surprisingly, they inadvertently begin a covert romance, but shortly after, real life gets in their path and they are confronted with the difficulties of living in two distinct worlds and the pressure this puts on their relationship.

The movie starts off with a comical approach, which follows almost halfway through. The highlight is the excruciatingly painful to watch yet hilarious dance moves by the band August Moon. They were so co-ordinated, that it felt like One Direction had reunited. The second half explores the necessity to hold on to reality while dealing with the sudden paparazzi associated with dating a known figure. In a way, the character of Solène is in her coming-of-middle age era, growing up, making mistakes and learning along the way, at 40.

A breezy watch, this movie is a one-time decent watch, perhaps like eating a chewing gum, it’s good until it turns sour.