Our take
For a romantic comedy with a fairy tale premise (a star falls in love with a regular person, and a much older one at that), The Idea of You is surprisingly relevant. It interweaves its romance with discussions of ageism and sexism, making it more self-aware than other movies in the same genre. But with that relevance comes a certain dryness; The Idea of You, for all its steamy scenes, lacks the sensuality and charm of a legitimate romcom. Solene is overly cautious, which doesn’t give much way to mystery and mistakes. She makes for a wise role model sure, but not necessarily a rootable heroine. If you like your romcoms to be more on the smart and predictable side, then you’ll enjoy The Idea of You. But if you prefer more hearty laughs and big gestures, then you’re better off looking for another title to stream.
Synopsis
40-year-old single mom Solène begins an unexpected romance with 24-year-old Hayes Campbell, the lead singer of August Moon, the hottest boy band on the planet. As they begin a whirlwind romance, it isn't long before Hayes' superstar status poses unavoidable challenges to their relationship, and Solène soon discovers that life in the glare of his spotlight might be more than she bargained for.
Storyline
When Solene (Anne Hathaway) accompanies her daughter to a meet and greet of boyband August Moon, she strikes an immediate connection with one of its members, Hayes Campbell (Nicholas Galitzine).
TLDR
No one needs convincing that Anne Hathaway still has it, but here we are.
What stands out
Hathaway is mind-blowingly, almost unattainably, gorgeous. Good for her and for elderly female representation, I suppose, but also: the film seems to send out a message that this kind of love is only possible for women of a certain caliber.