SHIFTER’s Kevin Bourne calls Anne Hathaway’s latest film a “must-see for romantic comedy junkies” in his The Idea Of Yu review.
At SHIFTER, we usually take a look at Black/BIPOC films and big blockbusters, but the latest film starring Anne Hathaway titled The Idea of You landed on our radar. Based on actor Robinne Lee‘s 2017 debut novel by the same name, the film is written by Lee, Michael Showalter, Jennifer Westfeldt, and executive produced by Gabrielle Union, as well as Hathaway. It’s a rare romantic comedy spearheaded by Black women but not centered around Black characters or starring Black actors. Some may see this as a criticism, but really, it displays Black writers’ and producers’ ability to tell stories that extend beyond our community.
The film tells the story of Solène, a divorced 40-year-old art gallery owner and mother who runs love in least likeliest of places—Coachella, while chaperoning her daughter and friends. After wandering the festival, she runs into Hayes Campbell, a 20-something pop star, sparking an unexpected and age-defying romance. Unfortunately, the spotlight, including pressure from fans and paparazzi, might be too much for their budding romance.
The film is different from others for a few reasons. First, as a story, a couple meeting at Coachella is so cool, modern, pop culture relevant, and unlike anything we’ve never seen before.
It’s also different in how it depicts their relationship. While we’ve seen some TV shows and films centered around forbidden love or the relationship between a younger man and an older woman before, she tends to be depicted as a cougar in search of a younger prey, or the couple are nothing more than horny lovers who can’t keep their hands off each other. While the latter is true in this film, their relationship eventually evolves into a mature love story. And while forbidden love is a story as old as time, with competing families standing in the way of true love, we’ve never seen a story where love is forbidden by fans, the media, social media who are presented as the antagonists trying to pull two lovers apart. this kind of story which tackles the effects of fame on relationships is unchartered territory, especially in a romantic comedy.
The film wouldn’t be as good as it is without the performances of Anne Hathaway and Nicholas Galitzine who are believable as passionate lovers who share an unlikely connection. Galitzine portrays Hayes as wise and mature beyond his years, while Hathaway is able to act and convey emotion without having to open her mouth.
The film also does a good job of providing closure to the story. There’s nothing worse than a romantic comedy that does a poor job of providing a sense of closure to the viewer, either by overtelling the story or leaving the conclusion to the viewer’s imagination. 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 and instead goes with a more realistic ending that mirrors real life.
In the end, The Idea of You is a must-see for romantic comedy junkies and fans of stories of loving against the odds.
Kevin Bourne is SHIFTER’s Toronto-based editor and Senior Entertainment Reporter focusing on Black music and film & TV. He was named one of 310 international voters for the 81st Golden Globe Awards by the Hollywood Foreign Press Association and a Tomatometer-Approved Critic by Rotten Tomatoes.
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