THE IDEA OF YOU _You're hot or whatever_ Clips (2024) Anne Hathaway, Romance Movie

THE IDEA OF YOU _You're hot or whatever_ Clips (2024) Anne Hathaway, Romance Movie

THE IDEA OF YOU All Clips 4K (2024) Anne Hathaway, Romance Movie
© 2024 - Prime Video

Despite their rom com-heavy résumés, Anne Hathaway and actor-turned-director Michael Showalter had never met prior to collaborating on the May-December love story “The Idea of You,” which bows May 2 on Amazon Prime Video. Unless you count that one time at Beverly Hills’ Gucci Osteria, which in 2022 was the site of a dinner party to celebrate Jessica Chastain’s Oscar nomination for the Showalter-directed film “The Eyes of Tammy Faye.”

“I wanted to talk to Anne, but I was too embarrassed,” Showalter recalls of the soiree. “The path of least resistance is to just not talk to anybody.” Adds Hathaway with a chuckle: “I couldn’t figure out how to breach my wall of shyness.”

Months later, Hathaway conquered her timidity when she recruited Showalter to co-write and direct “The Idea of You,” in which the star of “The Devil Wears Prada” and “The Princess Diaries” portrays a 40-year-old single mother who falls for a 29-year-old Harry Styles-esque pop star played by Nicholas Galitzine.

Popular on Variety
Given the movie’s strong female-empowerment theme, were there conversations about whether it should be directed by a woman?

Anne Hathaway: We did have that conversation. [But] there were so many forces that made Michael the absolute perfect choice for this.

Michael Showalter: If I can identify with my characters, I know I can make a good movie.

Were you on the same page from the outset regarding how explicit to make the sex scenes between Hathaway’s Solène and Galitzine’s Hayes?

Showalter: I never wanted it to go into “Red Shoe Diaries” territory.

Hathaway: I was inspired by [Robinne Lee’s novel on which the film is based] in terms of … what’s the polite way of saying …

Showalter: Sex?

Hathaway: Intimate acts! In the book, Robinne describes intimate acts with the most unbelievable energy. In their first physical sexual connection, Hayes brings Solène to orgasm while [she is fully] clothed. That became our North Star in terms of expressing cinematic sex in a way that makes it about her pleasure, while also making the point that a huge part of pleasure is giving someone else pleasure.

“The Idea of You” is the latest Amazon film to skip theaters and go directly to streaming. Did either of you attempt to talk them out of that strategy?

Hathaway: I’ve never had a movie this size be released [exclusively] on streaming … so I’m not really in a place to answer that question. Part of me is excited that such a wide audience is going to have instant access to it. And a part of me [is aware that] there aren’t a lot of reasons for moms to grab each other by the hand and go to the movie theater; this movie would’ve been perfect for that.

Showalter: I don’t understand how moviegoing works anymore. And as a filmmaker, I’m genuinely grateful to be given the opportunity to just make a movie.

Hathaway: Some of my favorite romantic comedies came out in the ’90s and I watched them on home video. I never saw the original theatrical runs of “Pretty Woman,” “Notting Hill” or “My Best Friend’s Wedding” — clearly, I’m a Julia Roberts fan! —but I loved them. A part of me loves the idea of having a huge worldwide theatrical hit. But it doesn’t mean I don’t appreciate the opportunity to have a different kind of [moviegoing experience].

The Southern California-set film takes a somewhat dismissive attitude toward Glendale. What do you have against the Valley?

Hathaway: I love Glendale. I did not write those lines. The Valley is awesome!

Showalter: [Laughs] I don’t think there’s anyone from Glendale that would see this film and not laugh heartily at the Glendale stuff.

Michael Ausiello is founder of TVLine, owned by Variety parent company PMC. He wrote the memoir on which Showalter’s 2022 film “Spoiler Alert” was based.

Many teenage girls have fantasized about being plucked out of a crowd by their celebrity crush — but what about their moms? Imagine, the shy commoner who catches the eye of the superstar is not the hot high-schooler but the woman who nags her to fix her hair and packs her lunches. This is the revenge daydream behind the not not One Direction fanfic movie The Idea of You, starring Anne Hathaway as Solène Marchand, a 40-year-old Silver Lake divorcée who must escort her daughter to Coachella. At the festival, she mistakenly walks into the trailer of Hayes Campbell (Nicholas Galitzine), the tattooed heartthrob in her kid’s former favorite boy band, August Moon. Intrigued by her outward indifference to him, he chases her back to L.A., paparazzi in tow. She’s reluctant: Is being caught up in the scandal of dating an Adonis 15 years her junior a worthwhile price for happiness? It’s Wattpad May December with music, but there’s one main problem: Anne Hathaway is way too hot for this role.

The Idea of You is based on Robinne Lee’s book of the same name, and both the film and its source material intend to critique how society renders women obsolete once they reach middle age. As Lee described in an interview, The Idea of You is about a woman “reclaiming her sexuality and rediscovering herself, just at the point that society traditionally writes women off as desirable and viable and whole.” It’s a fine message but one muddled by the choice in casting. Who could believe Hathaway as a neglected matron convinced she’s not worthy of love? Yes, Solène is a fictional creation, but she is overpowered by Hathaway’s real-life renown. The actress is a world-famous beauty who descends down red carpets in latex couture. Her long brown tresses waterfall down her unblemished back like she’s a walking commercial for both TRESemmé and Neutrogena. Everywhere she goes, she leaves a trail of admirers with their mouths agape.

In other words, Hathaway is so well-known for being gorgeous it’s ridiculous to extrapolate her experience, even in a make-believe context, onto the romantic plight of dejected moms. Sure, she has children and is around the same age as Solène. But Solène is supposed to be an ordinary caretaker, and Hathaway is a movie star with unlimited access to the best skin-care products and estheticians in the country. It’s just not believable! She has been Benjamin Buttoning in the public eye for decades, looking even more fresh faced than during her early 2000s reign as the Princess of Genovia. More Hollywood ingénue than depleted 40-something, Hathaway was even cast as a pop star herself in A24’s upcoming melodrama Mother Mary. In The Idea of You, anyone placed next to her seems comparatively wilted, like potpourri — unfortunate souls who in the movie are sometimes other mothers, like a middle-aged August Moon superfan Solène meets and rushes to escape at Coachella. Solène doesn’t look like her daughter’s parent, as one of Hayes’s bandmates points out, trying to hit on her; she looks like an older sister.

The Idea of You
Photo: Alisha Wetherill/Prime
In the beginning of the movie, the creators of The Idea of You seem to forget the film’s own age-gap conceit, then suddenly come to their senses by tossing Hathaway a line like “I’m too old for you” to snap the plot into focus. She is functionally childless for a large chunk of the movie, depositing her kid at summer camp so she can jet set with Hayes across the globe. This amnesia extends to the costuming: Solène swans into Coachella in an oversize tie-dye button-down, straw hat dangling from her back, as if she’s already had a rendezvous with another rock star and snuck away with his outfit. Her vibe is more bohemian muse, off-duty celebrity, shambolic-sexy cast member of Daisy Jones & the Six, and less stressed-out guardian whose child is probably addicted to Stanley Cups and TikTok. The rest of her sartorial choices in The Idea of You suggest a sophisticate in her early 30s at best: She drifts through her gallery in a shoulder-baring maxi dress that screams Anthropologie model and gets fingered by Hayes in a ruffled white two-piece set that looks like it came straight off the Urban Outfitters rack.

Maybe Galitzine shoulders some responsibility for the age gap not fully registering. He’s a 29-year-old playing a 24-year-old, a lightyear of difference in maturity. (An early 20s dude barely has an Ikea dresser at his place; once he’s approaching 30, he can be spotted in the trenches of Facebook Marketplace scouting for a quartet of Cesca chairs.) And Galitzine is a solidly built man sporting neutral, put-together outfits — not, like his prototype, a lanky chap goofing around in whimsical pants. As a film, The Idea of You comes across less as a story about the hard-won triumph of love across generational divides than about the logical union of the visually stunning. If the movie ever gets rebooted, the casting directors should consider a more transgressive, and impressive, pairing: A PTA president with a soccer-mom bob and a string bean in head-to-toe Rick Owens.
When you’re 10, it sounds like every line your favorite boy band sings is being aimed directly at you. Somewhere along the way, the illusion shatters. Teenagers are smarter than we give them credit for, and they eventually figure out how parasocial relationships operate: Basically, the fans do all the work, saving up for concert tickets and glitter-painting their idols’ names on their notebooks, while the lab-tested singers soak up all the love … and the allowance money. But what if, instead of the feelings flowing in one direction, a pop star fell hard for one of his followers? Or her mom?

Improving upon the popular beach read by Robinne Lee, instant classic “The Idea of You” stars a radiant-yet-relatable Anne Hathaway as a woman you can imagine a celebrity swooning for. It seems like only yesterday that the brown-eyed ingénue was putting on the tiara for “The Princess Diaries.” Now, in her most romantic role since that live-action fairy tale, Hathaway plays Solène, a Silver Lake art gallery owner and 40-year-old divorcée who’s always made a point of putting her daughter first. When her consistently disappointing ex-husband (Reid Scott) flakes on a trip to Coachella, Solène steps in and drives Izzy (Ella Rubin) and her friends out to the music festival.

Dad bought them all VIP passes to a meet-and-greet with August Moon, the band Izzy used to be obsessed with in seventh grade (emphasis on “used to be”). Now that she’s in high school, the fivesome just seems corny — which is the same opinion parents had all along, but somehow had to put aside to support their kids. So imagine Solène’s surprise when she goes looking for the honey bucket and winds up face-to-face with Hayes Campbell (Nicholas Galitzine), “the British one.” Solène recognizes him, but doesn’t get all star-struck, and something about that dynamic excites him. Here’s a woman he might actually have to put some effort into getting to know.

Popular on Variety
It’s easy to see why Lee’s wildly successful novel has been read as Harry Styles fan fiction, though there’s more to it than celebrity-bagging wish fulfillment. As adapted by director Michael Showalter (“The Big Sick”) and co-writer Jennifer Westfeldt, “The Idea of You” seems less concerned with the princess-story side of the book — the celebrity-endorsed, self-validating dimension the title refers to — and more with the ramifications of such a relationship for a middle-aged woman. After dedicating a song to her during his Coachella show, Hayes is more discreet in his advances, allowing Solène to keep it secret from her daughter. But what will happen if Izzy finds out? What will August Moon’s millions of fans make of him courting a cougar?

Miraculously enough, audiences don’t question it. The meet-cute seems a little contrived, but the chemistry between Hathaway and Galitzine feels real. She subtly conveys signals that show she’s lost faith in romance, suggesting that because Solène’s been burned by love before, she can’t be bothered to flirt. For his part, Galitzine plays Hayes as instantly interested, but emotionally cautious as well. Watching these two warm up to one another over the course of an art-shopping afternoon back in Los Angeles proves far more romantic than the whirlwind tour of Europe that follows. Surprisingly, the sexiest scene in the whole film doesn’t involve sex but a hungry first kiss — though there’s steam enough to come, as they ravage hotel rooms in Barcelona, Rome and Paris.

In a sense, the eponymous “idea of you” refers to an aspect of the relationship Solène naively thinks she can keep to herself, despite the vulture-like way the paparazzi follow them everywhere. Showalter takes us into a pop star’s inner circle, bringing the cameras backstage at concerts, aboard private jets and along for a glitzy vacation in the south of France. (Weirdly, reverse shots of the arena-show crowds seem downright tame, nothing like the delirious hysteria of “A Hard Day’s Night” or “TRL.”) Celebrities belong to the public in a way civilian Solène has never experienced before, and because she wants no part of that attention, their love affair may as well have no future.

That’s one aspect of the book that upset its readers, and which Showalter has carefully reengineered here so that audiences can have the ending they want. For all its fantastical qualities, the movie is realistic in the way it anticipates social media and real media (the online tabloids, at least) reacting to the news of Solène and Hayes’ being together. It’s a sad truth that, as Solène tells art-world bestie Tracy (Annie Mumolo), the world doesn’t want her to be happy. Technically, the fans don’t want Hayes to be happy either, preferring to think of him as single and searching for them to fill that empty space in his heart.

There are a thousand ways that Showalter could have tilted the film toward parody. Instead, he resists poking fun at the whole pop-tart phenomenon, which meta-comedies like “Popstar: Never Stop Never Stopping” and “Josie and Pussycats” treated as self-aware satire. Here, Hayes is terrified of being seen as a joke, and though Solène insists he’s not, she doesn’t take the relationship seriously enough to tell a soul. But Showalter does, tapping songwriter Savan Kotecha to come up with a slew of plausible hits, including a track called “Closer” that turns the May-December dynamic into catchy Top 40 gold. For all the challenges that adapting Lee’s book posed, getting the music right had to be the toughest — with fixing that ending being a close second.

The film version finds a solution that honors Lee’s intentions — the way Hathaway’s character puts any number of priorities ahead of her heart — while providing a more satisfying sense of closure for their on-and-off relationship. Galitzine, who played it so proper in Amazon’s “Red, White & Royal Blue,” turns up the emo charisma while relaxing his body language, letting the puppy dog eyes and tattooed torso do the talking (though the English accent doesn’t hurt). Still, this is Hathaway’s movie, and she owns it: independent, desirable and never, ever desperate. Solène’s a cool mom to Izzy, and when it comes to Hayes … “I could be your mother,” she tells him. “But you’re not,” he fires back. Wouldn’t want to get the wrong idea.
We’ve always known that Anne Hathaway is nothing if not committed to her craft. Whether she’s doing her own Catwoman stunts or shaving her head onscreen for Les Miserables, the actor is always willing to go above and beyond for a role. That, apparently, includes her latest turn in The Idea of You, as Solène, a 40-year-old single mom who takes up a whirlwind romance with Hayes Campbell, a 24-year-old boybander (Nicholas Galatzine) after they meet at Coachella.

In an era of relentless method dressing, stars are mimicking tennis champions, intergalactic princesses, and dolls to promote their films. But with her latest role, Hathaway isn’t granted the opportunity to tap into any overt lore. Still, that hasn’t stopped her from channelling her character: the coolest mom ever.

Raymond Hall
Raymond Hall
Hathaway has explored the cool mom look in several avenues on her promo tour thus far. Last night, the actor left the 92nd Street Y wearing a three-piece black leather suit from Ralph Lauren, complete with a tie. Today, she leaned into her feminine side. Dressed like a dollop of whipped cream, the actor donned a sweet look from Patou: a white minidress with a matching short-sleeved jacket, paired with white tights and pointy-toe pumps. Later on in the day, Hathaway opted for something a bit sexier that we can imagine her character would wear to Coachella. Wearing a sky blue skirt set from Simkhai, she nailed the sheer trend, while the skirt’s sculptural hemline reminds us of the ’90s lettuce hems.

But actions speak louder than outfits, and the actor proved herself the ultimate cool mom when a commotion broke out over the chance to get her autograph. Speaking in calm, hushed tones, she encouraged everyone to take a breath and not to push the other people in the crowd. “I’m gonna get to everybody,” she assured them. It’s clear that, although she may not be interacting with children, Anne Hathaway studied up on the gentle parenting curriculum.
Anne Hathaway has achieved a Certified Fresh Rotten Tomatoes score of 83% with The Idea of You.
This success points out a discrepancy in the star's career, as just over a third of her movies have earned Fresh Rotten Tomatoes scores.
Hathaway's highest-rated film is 89%, but she lacks any movie with a score of 90% or above.
The Rotten Tomatoes score for The Idea of You exposes a harsh truth about Anne Hathaway's 23-year career. Hathaway stars in the Prime Video age-gap romance movie as single mother Solène Marchand opposite Red, White, & Royal Blue's Nicholas Galitzine as boy band lead singer Hayes Campbell, a figure loosely inspired by One Direction superstar Harry Styles. The movie, which was directed and co-written by Wet Hot American Summer star and The Big Sick director Michael Showalter, is based on the 2017 novel of the same name by Robinne Lee.

The Idea of You star has been performing in movies since she was a teenager. After getting her start in young adult-oriented titles such as The Princess Diaries, its sequel The Princess Diaries 2: The Royal Engagement, and Ella Enchanted, she has taken on a number of roles in prominent titles. This includes a series of romantic comedies including Love & Other Drugs and Bride Wars, blockbuster franchise movies such as The Dark Knight Rises and Ocean's 8, and dramas like Les Misérables, for which she won her first Oscar. However, Rotten Tomatoes exposes an unfortunate truth about her career.

Anne Hathaway and Nicholas Galitzine in The Idea of You.
RELATED
How Old Are Anne Hathaway & Nicholas Galitzine? The Idea Of You's Age-Gap Explained
Anne Hathaway and Nicholas Galitzine star in the age-gap romantic comedy movie The Idea of You, but how old are they compared to their characters?

The Idea Of You's Rotten Tomatoes Score Explained
Critics Are Enjoying Anne Hathaway's New Romance
At the time of writing, The Idea of You reviews have been almost entirely positive, giving the movie a Certified Fresh Rotten Tomatoes score of 83%. While the score could still fluctuate as more reviews are added, 94 critics have already weighed in, giving the movie a statistically significant score that allowed the review aggregator service to determine that it is solidly Fresh. The movie has been praised for its tactful management of potentially controversial subject matter, its sincere approach to the central romance, and Anne Hathaway's performance in particular.

Throughout the week of its release, The Idea of You's Rotten Tomatoes score fluctuated between 82% and 88%.

At 83%, the movie ranks as the sixth best-reviewed movie in Hathaway's entire career. It has landed exactly between her under-the-radar 2016 kaiju comedy Colossal and the 2008 Jonathan Demme title Rachel Getting Married, for which she was nominated for her first Oscar. Below, see a breakdown of her Top 10 highest-rated movies on Rotten Tomatoes, with the exception of the 2013 feature Girl Rising (80%), a documentary that she narrated:

Title

RT Score

Dark Waters (2019)

89%

Brokeback Mountain (2005)

88%

The Cat Returns (2002)

88%

The Dark Knight Rises (2012)

87%

Rachel Getting Married (2008)

84%

The Idea of You (2024)

83%

Colossal (2016)

82%

Eileen (2023)

82%

Nicholas Nickleby (2002)

78%

Armageddon Time (2022)

76%

Anne Hathaway Doesn't Have Any Movies At 90% Or Above On Rotten Tomatoes (But Should)
The Idea Of You Star Has Never Climbed Higher Than 89%

With her highest-rated movie being 2019's Dark Waters at 89%, Anne Hathaway has never climbed above 90% on Rotten Tomatoes despite starring in many well-regarded movies. The same is true of her television appearances, as her highest score on that end comes from her voice role on The Simpsons, an iconic animated show that has an average score of 85%. In comparison, nearly every other major cast member of the movie has at least one title at 90% or above, including Nicholas Galitzine's Bottoms (90%), Reid Scott's I'll See You in My Dreams (93%), and Annie Mumolo's Joy Ride (90%).

This statistic comes as something of a surprise considering how many iconic movies Hathaway has starred in. In addition to being recognizable titles, many of them have been nominated for or have won Oscars including The Devil Wears Prada (75%) and Interstellar (73%). In fact, 2005's Brokeback Mountain, which only holds an 88% score on the platform, won three Oscars and was nominated for five more, including Best Picture.

Anne Hathaway Has More Rotten Movies Than Fresh Ones On Rotten Tomatoes
Just Over A Third Of Anne Hathaway Movies Are Fresh
Anne Hathaway as Andie Sachs sorting through a clothing rack while looking shocked in The Devil Wears Prada
Overall, of the 41 movies with Anne Hathaway performances that have received critic scores on Rotten Tomatoes, only 15 of them have been deemed Fresh, with the remaining 26 all earning Rotten scores. This means that only 36.6% of her movies, just over one-third, have been well-received critically. Part of this can be attributed to some of the choices the star and her management team have made, including starring in widely panned titles such as Bride Wars (10%), Valentine's Day (18%), and Alice Through the Looking Glass (29%), which have Rotten scores from both critics and audiences on the platform.

Some Anne Hathaway titles have been severely underrated by critics.

However, the audience scores for some of her Rotten movies may prove that some Anne Hathaway titles have been severely underrated by critics. Rotten movies that audiences liked include The Other Side of Heaven (30%), The Princess Diaries (49%), Get Smart (51%), Becoming Jane (58%), and The Intern (59%). Although the positive score for The Idea of You highlights this discrepancy in her career, it could also be an indication that better things are yet to come for the star, who is currently attached to upcoming titles including Mother Mary and Flowervale Street that may eventually earn 90% or more.

CLICK HERE TO WATCH THE IDEA OF YOU ON PRIME VIDEO

The Idea of You (2024)
R
ScreenRant logo
Based on the acclaimed, contemporary love story of the same name, The Idea of You centers on Solène (Anne Hathaway), a 40-year-old single mom who begins an unexpected romance with 24-year-old Hayes Campbell (Nicholas Galitzine), the lead singer of August Moon, the hottest boy band on the planet. When Solène must step in to chaperone her teenage daughter’s trip to the Coachella Music Festival after her ex bails at the last minute, she has a chance encounter with Hayes and there is an instant, undeniable spark. 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.

Director
Michael Showalter
Release Date
May 2, 2024
Cast
Anne Hathaway Nicholas Galitzine , Ella Rubin , Annie Mumolo , Reid Scott , Perry Mattfeld , Jordan Aaron Hall , Mathilda Gianopoulos
Runtime
115 Minutes