The Idea of You

The Idea of You is a 2024 American romantic comedy film directed by Michael Showalter from a screenplay he co-wrote with Jennifer Westfeldt, based on the novel of the same name by Robinne Lee. Starring Anne Hathaway and Nicholas Galitzine, it chronicles the love affair between a single mother and the lead singer of a popular boy band.

A film adaptation of the novel was announced in late 2018 by the producers Cathy Schulman and Gabrielle Union; no further development was made until in mid-2021 with the involvement of Westfeldt, Hathaway, Showalter, and Galitzine being announced. The film was shot by cinematographer Jim Frohna predominantly in Georgia, United States, during late 2022. Peter Teschner edited the film while Siddhartha Khosla composed the original score. Savan Kotecha composed and wrote the original songs.

The Idea of You premiered at South by Southwest on March 16, 2024, and was released by Amazon MGM Studios as a Prime Video original film on May 2, 2024. The film received positive reviews from critics.

Plot
Solène Marchand is a divorced art gallery owner living in Los Angeles. As her 40th birthday nears, she plans to go on a solo camping trip while her ex-husband Daniel takes their teen daughter Izzy and her friends to Coachella. When Daniel is called away by work at the last minute, Solène reluctantly agrees to forgo camping and accompany the teens to the festival.

Daniel had arranged for the teens to have a meet-and-greet at the festival with British boy band August Moon. While waiting in the VIP area, Solène enters what she believes is a bathroom, only to discover that it is August Moon member Hayes Campbell's trailer. The pair flirt, although Solène, who is sixteen years older than Hayes, is uncomfortable with their attraction. Later, during August Moon's performance, Hayes seemingly changes the show's setlist, dedicating a song to her.

At Solène's birthday party, she finds herself disillusioned with prospective men her age. Shortly after the festival, Hayes shows up unannounced at Solène's gallery, seemingly interested in purchasing art. After he buys every piece in the gallery, Solène takes him to a friend's warehouse studio, where they discuss life and art.

At Solène's house for lunch, she reveals her insecurities as a result of her ex-husband's affair, and Hayes reveals his desire to be taken seriously as a musician. They kiss, but Solène rebuffs him.

Hayes leaves his watch behind, then, finding Solène's phone number on the gallery invoice, texts her to join him in New York City. With Izzy at summer camp, Solène flies to New York and meets him at his hotel where they have sex. Hayes convinces her to travel with him on August Moon's European tour. Solène wishes to keep their relationship private and does not tell Izzy or anyone else.

As August Moon's European tour continues on, Solène continues supporting Hayes, and the pair continue to have sex in the hotels they stay in. When the band vacations in the south of France, Solène becomes uncomfortable about her age in relation to the other women traveling with them. Other members of the band tell her that Hayes's dedication of a song to her was a tactic they use to impress women, and that Hayes has previously pursued relationships with older women. Solène, feeling misled and disillusioned about the relationship, abruptly returns to Los Angeles. Daniel, who has heard about Solène's relationship, questions her about it, but she denies that she and Hayes were together.

Soon afterward, paparazzi photos of the relationship surface online, causing Solène to attract large amounts of unwanted attention. When she goes to pick Izzy up at camp, Izzy is furious at having been lied to, but forgives her mother. Solène goes to a recording studio where Hayes is working, and they rekindle their relationship, beginning to date publicly. She and her family delete their social media accounts.

Daniel expresses concern to Solène about the impact of their relationship on Izzy, who is facing challenges at school as a result. Following a trip to New York, Hayes returns and Solène decides to end the relationship once more. However, Hayes visits her home again, suggesting that they should reconsider resuming their relationship in five years, once Izzy has completed her schooling. During this encounter, Hayes leaves his watch with Solène once again.

Five years later, Solène sees Hayes performing on The Graham Norton Show, where he mentions plans to visit Los Angeles. He returns to the gallery, where they share a tearful reunion.

Development
In December 2018, it was announced that an adaptation of the Robinne Lee novel The Idea of You had been opted by Welle Entertainment with Cathy Schulman and Gabrielle Union producing. Union, who had been friends with Lee since the early 2000s, named the book amongst her ten favorites of all time in 2018. Lee, Eric Hayes, Belle Hope Dayne, and Jordana Mollick also serve as producers. In June 2021, it was revealed that Jennifer Westfeldt had adapted the novel and Anne Hathaway was cast in the starring role while also serving as one of the producers.

Casting
In August 2022, Michael Showalter was confirmed as director. The following month, Nicholas Galitzine was added to the cast as the lead singer of "the hottest boyband on the planet", and in October, Ella Rubin was revealed to be playing Hathaway's daughter and that principal photography had commenced. The same month, Annie Mumolo, Reid Scott, Perry Mattfeld and Jordan Aaron Hall were revealed to have joined the cast as well as Jaiden Anthony, Raymond Cham, Vik White and Dakota Adan as the rest of the band Galitzine fronts.

Filming
Filming took place in Georgia in the cities of Atlanta, Savannah and surrounding areas in October 2022.

Much of the artwork featured in the film were pieces done by real artists. Anne Hathaway and production designer Amy Williams worked together on sourcing art with Williams stating, "We worked really hard to make the art a focal point and make it authentic".

Music
The film features original songs performed by the fictional band August Moon, which were written by Savan Kotecha, who also served as the executive music producer. Galitzine performed vocals for few of the songs. An album consisting of 11 tracks were released by Arista Records digitally, day-and-date with the film, which would be followed by the physical versions and the deluxe edition of the album featuring four live performances of the band's recordings, releasing the next day. The soundtrack was preceded with three singles: "Dance Before We Walk", "Taste" and "Closer".

Marketing
In December 2023, Amazon Prime Video, which acquired the distribution rights of the film, released an exclusive still from the film in their 2024 slate of original programming. The film's official trailer was released on March 6, 2024, and garnered over 125 million views on social media platforms, becoming the most-watched trailer for an original film released on a streaming platform.

Release
The film had its world premiere at South by Southwest as the closing-night film on March 16, 2024. It was released as a Prime Video original film on May 2, 2024.

Reception
Benjamin Lee of The Guardian wrote, "Showalter manages to make The Idea of You look and breathe like the grander films it comes after rather then the tinier ones it sits alongside [...] It's all not ultimately enough to truly transport us back to the genre's heyday but it's a damn sight better than what we've been forced to get used to." Peter Debruge of Variety wrote "The film version finds a solution that honors [Robinne] Lee's intentions while providing a more satisfying sense of closure for their on-and-off relationship". Alissa Wilkinson of The New York Times wrote, "The Idea of You succeeds mostly because of Hathaway's performance, though she and Galitzine spark and banter pleasurably". Alison Wilmore of Vulture wrote, "The Idea of You could stand to be a little more indulgent — it allows the real world to rush into its unexpected relationship almost before it gets going — but it's surprisingly seductive even with its restraint. Anyone can holler along to a One Direction song in the privacy of their home, but it's something else to reconnect with the feelings expressed by one of those big choruses."

Lovia Gyarkaye of The Hollywood Reporter wrote, "The Idea of You functions best as a carefree treat — a feel-good romantic comedy that delivers some laughs and bursts with the magnetism of its lead. That it manages to wiggle in some lessons about self-discovery is merely a bonus." Rafael Motamayor of IndieWire wrote that the film "does a complete love story, going beyond where most movies like these end to explore the moment a magical fling becomes something more, where a little 'let's see where this goes' becomes something worth fighting for, and maybe also losing." Richard Lawson of Vanity Fair wrote, "The Idea of You is glossy and smart, a cut above the slop so often served to its intended audience. It may force a neat ending, it may strain logic, it may leave some intriguing avenues unexplored, but The Idea of You is otherwise transporting, a fairy tale worthy of a big screen." Valerie Complex of Deadline Hollywood wrote that "Hathaway's performance offers moments of genuine emotion and connection that hint at the film's potential, which keeps things together long enough to be enjoyable."

Alejandra Martinez of TheWrap wrote, "What could have been a lukewarm romance is instead something much more surprising and sensual. In the hands of lesser performers and filmmakers, the premise could have quickly fallen apart. The Idea of You, however, has actors who know exactly what they need to bring to deliver a believable, compelling romance worth getting swept up in." Nikki Baughan of Screen Daily wrote that "the screenplay does not linger here, and soon diverts from the book's sombre climax to offer up a more audience-friendly ending." Fletcher Peters of The Daily Beast wrote, "The Idea of You is the perfect glitzy, splashy movie that this story about a glamorous whirlwind love affair deserves [...] The film's take may diverge from the novel, but it's those differences that make the film so memorable."