‘The Idea of You’ Review: A Charming Idea of a Rom-Com

Michael Showalter is no stranger to romantic comedies. His rom-com’s tend to be anything but typical as they shy away from the Hallmark romance clichés and focus on the deeper and more meaningful elements that make two people fall in love. Or out of it. The Idea of You stars Anne Hathaway and Nicholas Galitzine as a 40-year-old single mother who finds herself in a relationship with the young lead singer of one of the most popular boy bands in the world. It has all the marks of the romcom genre but also explores some more complex themes. My biggest issue is that it bites off more than it can chew and doesn’t have the time to develop any meaningful answers to the questions it brings up. Thankfully there is still a charming idea of a rom-com at its core. So sit back, relax, and let The Idea of You sweep you off your feet.

Gallery owner Solène (Anne Hathaway) is gearing up for a relaxing solo weekend of camping but when her ex-husband has a sudden work emergency and can no longer take their daughter and her friends to Coachella, she reluctantly agrees to be the chaperone. While looking for a bathroom at the music festival, she mistakenly ventures into the trailer of Hayes Campbell (Nicholas Galitzine), the lead singer of superstar boy band August Moon. After some playful back and forth banter, the two start dating. Solène worries that the age difference between them and Hayes’ stardom is too big an issue, but as the two spend more and more time together their attraction to each other is undeniable. The fun doesn’t last forever, though, and soon the public gets wind of their romance and now all eyes are on Solène, who questions whether or not her feelings are real or if this silly little romance was just a fling destined to fail.

The majority of romantic comedies and relationships in film in general tend to feature older men dating younger women so it’s refreshing to see the roles reversed for The Idea of You. The focus is very much on Anne Hathaway and her character as she navigates the ins and outs of her new and exciting romance along with all the complexities that come with it. The romantic scenes, and there are a good amount of them, center around her pleasure. They’re seductive and intimate, and you can clearly see the chemistry between Hathaway and Galitzine. The romantic aspect of the film feels quite grounded, even if the rest feels farfetched at times.

The whole August Moon boy band stuff is quite ridiculous most of the time. Nicholas Galitzine does a decent enough job with what he has to work with, but whenever there is a concert scene or fan interaction the film loses all momentum. Both the song lyrics and dance choreography are all just plain awful. It’s all a little too over-the-top and cheesy and nowhere near convincing enough that this band is one of biggest in the world.

What makes The Idea of You stand out among the crowd is its approach to its secondary themes. Solène brings up with her friends how differently society sees an older woman dating a younger man and that if the roles were reversed it would not be a big deal. In fact, that’s exactly the case with Daniel, her ex-husband who cheated on her with a younger coworker who he’s now dating. The second half of the film also touches on the fame that comes with dating someone famous. Once word of their relationship gets out, Solène and her family are bombarded by the press, paparazzi, and even the most die-hard August Moon fans, so much so that it makes her question whether or not the relationship is worth it. It’s an idea that’s worth exploring given our society’s obsession with celebrities and all aspects of their lives.

Unfortunately, The Idea of You doesn’t have the time to thoroughly explore these ideas and only throws them out there in order to move the story along the familiar romantic comedy path. There’s a lot going on, and at nearly two hours in length there’s not much room for more in an already stuffed film. Some of the themes are simply introduced way too late into the film to have any real impact. Still, the film succeeds where it needs to most; the relationship between Solène and Hayes.

The Idea of You delivers a heartfelt and romantic story about love. We all have our own idea of romance and what we want in a partner. There’s a lot to unpack with the film, with some themes being better presented than others. The Idea of You may not be ideal, but its ideas about relationships and the dynamics between partners is something we can all relate to.