Tonight, television audiences will witness a sizzling romantic comedy based on a bestselling novel.
The Idea of You features Anne Hathaway as the mature woman embarking on a passionate, secret liaison with the youthful frontman of a renowned group, portrayed by English performer Nicholas Galitzine.
When clear parallels to a real-life celebrity were drawn, writer Robinne Lee confessed her novel was partly influenced by one of the most coveted heartthrobs in recent memory – alongside a British Royal.
Reviewers lauded the film for its “electric” on-screen chemistry during intimate scenes and endorsed it for romance enthusiasts.
Released in 2024, The Idea of You features Oscar-winning American performer Anne Hathaway as Solène Marchand, reports the Mirror.
The separated art gallery proprietor intends to venture on a solo camping expedition whilst her former spouse escorts their teenage daughter Izzy and her friends to the legendary Coachella music festival.
Yet when her ex-partner becomes unavailable to go on the trip, she must chaperone the youngsters herself.
At a pre-scheduled fan encounter with popular boy band August Moon, Solène meets the dashing, charismatic vocalist Hayes Campbell (Galitzine) and their mutual attraction sparks. The film is helmed by Michael Showalter, working from a screenplay adapted from Robinne Lee’s 2017 novel of the same title.
When boyband enthusiasts spotted striking parallels between the story’s romance involving an older woman and a young pop sensation and One Direction’s Harry Styles’ well-documented preference for mature partners, the book’s creator revealed he had served as one of her inspirations.
When Vogue enquired whether Styles had influenced her work, she acknowledged he was indeed amongst her muses, alongside some of her past romantic partners and a particular member of the Royal family: “I made him into my dream guy… like Prince Harry meets Harry,” she revealed.
Upon its release on Amazon Prime Video, the production garnered positive reception from reviewers.
Critics’ assessments on Rotten Tomatoes, where it achieves an 80% approval rating, echo this sentiment.
One critic simply said: “The idea of you is fantastical, seductive and so easy to watch.”
Another commended the leading performances: “Galitzine and Hathaway anchor the film and their chemistry is palpable, making every touch feel electric,” they noted.
A third reviewer was captivated by the concept: “The Idea of You is a surprisingly thoughtful feminist ode to female happiness later in life, when women’s only acceptable source of fulfillment is supposed to be their children, and any other loves are regarded as selfish and at odds with motherhood.”
One critic, a fan of the rom-com genre, praised it saying: “The Idea of You follows in the footsteps of modern romantic comedies that forego the over-the-top fairytale endings of the 90’s to early 2000’s. This is a must-see for romantic comedy junkies and fans of stories of loving against the odds.”
