Ember's analysis
- Pacing
- Brisk
- Intensity
- Moderate
- Complexity
- Easy to follow
- Violence
- None
- glossy
- sensual
- witty
- date night
- feel good movie night
What critics said
Critics broadly found the film glossy, enjoyable, and elevated by the chemistry and performances of Anne Hathaway and Nicholas Galitzine, while noting its familiar romantic-comedy formula and rushed or overly neat resolution.
What sets it apart
May contain story progression spoilers
Solène is forty while Hayes is twenty-four, making the couple’s age difference central to their attraction and the outside pressures surrounding it.
Hayes is the lead singer of the globally popular boy band August Moon, placing Solène’s relationship inside the machinery of fame and fandom.
Solène’s identity as a forty-year-old single mother shapes the practical and emotional stakes of her relationship with Hayes.
The romance unfolds against Hayes’s status as the lead singer of one of the world’s hottest boy bands, giving the film a glossy wish-fulfillment atmosphere.
Films like The Idea of You, and why
Something's Gotta Give
glossy age-gap romance centered on an older woman’s renewed desire and self-discovery
Notting Hill
feel-good romantic comedy balancing celebrity fantasy, adult intimacy, and emotional vulnerability
The Bridges of Madison County
romantic drama about an unconventional relationship challenged by social expectations and public scrutiny
A Star Is Born
music-driven romance with a charismatic performer and a relationship tested by fame
Movie Details
- Director
- Michael Showalter
- Release Date
- 2024-05-02
- Runtime
- 116 min
- Rating
- 7.2 / 10 (2036)
Cast
- Anne Hathaway
- Nicholas Galitzine
- Ella Rubin
- Annie Mumolo
- Reid Scott
- Perry Mattfeld
- Jordan Aaron Hall
- Mathilda Gianopoulos
- Meg Millidge
- Cheech Manohar
Where to watch in United States
- Streaming
- Amazon Prime Video, Amazon Prime Video with Ads
- Rent
- Amazon Video, Apple TV Store, Google Play Movies, YouTube, Fandango At Home, Plex
- Buy
- Amazon Video, Apple TV Store, Google Play Movies, YouTube, Fandango At Home
Streaming options come from TMDB and change over time.
Common questions
- What is The Idea of You about?
- A forty-year-old single mother finds an intoxicating but complicated romance with the much younger frontman of a world-famous boy band.
- What is The Idea of You like to watch?
- Ember's analysis rates the pacing of The Idea of You as brisk, its intensity as moderate and its storytelling as easy to follow.
- Is The Idea of You violent?
- No — Ember's analysis finds no violence in The Idea of You.
- What did critics think of The Idea of You?
- Critics broadly found the film glossy, enjoyable, and elevated by the chemistry and performances of Anne Hathaway and Nicholas Galitzine, while noting its familiar romantic-comedy formula and rushed or overly neat resolution.
- Which films are like The Idea of You?
- Films with a similar feel include Something's Gotta Give, Notting Hill, The Bridges of Madison County, and A Star Is Born.
- How long is The Idea of You?
- The Idea of You runs 116 minutes.
- Where can I watch The Idea of You?
- In United States, The Idea of You streams on Amazon Prime Video, Amazon Prime Video with Ads.
