The Idea of You

Director: Michael Showalter
Starring: Anne Hathaway, Nicholas Galitzine, Ella Rubin, Annie Mumolo, Reid Scott, Perry Mattfeld, Jordan Aaron Hall, Mathilda Gianopoulos, Meg Millidge
Running Time: 116 min.
Rating: R

★★★ (out of ★★★★)

Michael Showalter's The Idea of You explores that weird phenomenon of coming face-to-face with a celebrity and realizing they're an actual person rather than a famous construct you don't know at all. In other words, you're forced to see them as human rather than some entertainment commodity intended for mass consumption. But this movie's single mom eludes that moment since the famous pop singer she meets views her as the real catch. Down to earth and relatable, she's unlike anyone he normally meets, and while it's infatuation at first sight, we get why.  

Consistently humorous and intelligently written, the film's generic title fools you into thinking it's another fluffy rom-com, but this adaptation of actress Robinne Lee's 2017 debut novel of the same name makes the most of a simple premise. And even its title makes more sense when considering the mere idea of a relationship seems crazy until each overcome their preconceived notions. It might work or not, but they at least have to try, resulting in an unusually smart dramedy that finds them discovering this could be even more difficult than they thought. 

On the eve of her fortieth birthday, divorced art gallery owner Solène Marchand (Hathaway) plans to spend the weekend on a solo camping trip, until she's contacted by scuzzy ex-husband Daniel (Reid Scott). Called away for work at the last minute, he's unable to take their teen daughter Izzy (Ella Rubin) and her friends to Coachella, causing Solène to reluctantly fill in, accompanying them to the festival's meet-and-greet with British boy band August Moon. 

Looking for the bathroom in a VIP area, Solène accidentally enters band member Hayes Campbell's (Nicholas Galitzine) trailer, resulting in an awkward but flirtatious encounter with the singer. Immediately smitten, he dedicates a song to Solène and even shows up later at her gallery. Despite feeling self conscious about their sixteen year age gap and the dissolution of her marriage, there's genuine chemistry. But as they embark on this exciting new relationship, she's forced to consider whether the unforgiving, judgmental glare of the spotlight is too much. 

It would be easy for viewers to roll their eyes at the script's implication Solène is somehow "old," a "cougar" or "past her prime" when Hathaway looks young enough to pass for her screen daughter's sister and not much older than the late twenties Galitzine. But that's hardly the point. The film isn't sexist by dwelling on age, but instead accurately reflecting how the public and media do. We know exactly how this relationship would be viewed so Showalter and co-writer Jennifer Westfeldt deserve credit for digging into it, enabling Hathaway to convincingly convey the mistrust and insecurity an average woman might feel in such a situation. 

Hathaway possesses an almost otherworldly presence and charisma, but she's always strongest playing real, everyday characters you wouldn't mind giving up your place in line for at the supermarket. Or in this case, the bathroom. A reminder of just how valuable she remains in the genre that launched her career, she smooths out some of the rough patches, like an improbable meet cute and a concert full of cringe worthy pop songs. Her lead performance is a big reason this amounts to much more than the gender swapped Notting Hill it was trumpeted as. 

Solène's resistance has less to do with her age than the lingering trust issues left over from a lying, cheating ex, while Hayes (who's clearly based on Harry Styles) is laid back, but persistent. His biggest fear is being viewed as a complete joke whose fifteen minutes are up, with little to show for it. Galitzine holds his own with Hathaway, believable as a charming, self-effacing pop star who's itching to prove himself as a person and artist, but could still be a womanizing bad boy capable of hurting her. Of course, there are also many scenes focusing on how his fame begins infecting every aspect of Solène's life, in ways both funny and profoundly uncomfortable.

The couple actually break up twice, first for a predictable reason, then again for a very understandable one, demonstrating how often it can all just be about timing. That this has a few endings should be a detriment, but Showalter's so good at balancing them that it actually improves the story. There's real purpose in delaying a payoff that hits harder than you'd expect, only to be topped by an aftermath worth sticking around for. Problems and complications may pile up, but they're earned, recalling many of those 90's rom-coms where likeable stars played interesting people worth rooting for.