The Idea of You

Play trailer

2:20

The Idea of You

R

Released May 2, 2024

1h 55m

Romance

Drama

Comedy

Play Trailer

Watchlist

Watchlist

Tomatometer

Popcornmeter

80%

Tomatometer

186 Reviews

67%

Popcornmeter

1,000+ Ratings

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.

Watch on Fandango at Home

Buy Now

Critics Consensus

The Idea of You offers a welcome reminder that Anne Hathaway remains a thoroughly delightful romcom lead -- and reaffirms that few filmmakers understand the genre better than Michael Showalter.

Read Critics Reviews

Audience Says

Though The Idea of You leans heavy into wish-fulfillment fantasy, it’s a cheesy, sexy rom-com that pairs well with wine on the rocks.

Read Audience Reviews

Alejandra Martinez

TheWrap

Galitzine and Hathaway anchor the film and their chemistry is palpable, making every touch feel electric.

Aug 8, 2024

Full Review

Dwight Brown

DwightBrownInk.com

Within ten minutes, the story’s charm, beguiling characters and awkward situations are in full bloom.

Rated: 3/4

May 31, 2024

Full Review

Robert Levin

Newsday

This is a substantial movie with the veneer of a frothy romantic comedy.

Rated: 3/4

May 21, 2024

Full Review

Matthew Koss

The Wandering Screen (YouTube)

The idea of you is fantastical, seductive and so easy to watch.

Rated: B

Aug 16, 2025

Full Review

Marissa Hill

Shade Studios

In a genre that often treads familiar ground, The Idea of You is a welcome departure.

Jul 29, 2025

Full Review

Rua Fay

Cinemasters

its saccharine plot resembles something you'd find on 2014 Wattpad.

Jul 21, 2025

Full Review

Read all reviews

Mariano A

It feels like I have seen this movie already.

Rated 1.5 out of 5 stars

08/20/25

Full Review

Pedro Henrique C

The Idea of You (2024) is cute, pleasant, simple and practical, but this film needed a little more depth in the central story. It's really hard to follow a romance story where the protagonists keep breaking up several times.

Rated 3 out of 5 stars

08/19/25

Full Review

Diallo G

A fairly straightforward wish fulfillment romance about a mother in her 40's falling into a love affair with a 20-something year old boy-band star. It plays like a rom-com, although there's no com; instead, the delicious chemistry of its stars, and the unapologetic fantasy of it is juxtaposed against the choice to take seriously how the pitiless cannibalism of celebrity culture stretches the natural canvas of life to its breaking point. This creates a tension with real emotional stakes, elevated by superb acting, especially from an incandescent Anne Hathaway who manages to combine vulnerability with strength, sensuality with restraint, and know-better maturity with youthful abandon--all in a way that feels both glamorous, and as real as the kitchen sink. While the characters are written to trope, if you let yourself be swept away the acting, the direction, the pathos, and the flow of the movie add up to a sumptuous whole much greater than the sum of its parts. Look, we all know what we're in for with a movie like this; so let yourself be swept away, and fall asleep with a smile on your lips and an ache in your heart!

Rated 3.5 out of 5 stars

08/17/25

Full Review

Generoso F

Such a pure garbage romanticizing an age gap relationship.

Rated 1.5 out of 5 stars

08/16/25

Full Review

Manuela D

é um filme MUITO bom. os elenco é otimo e lindo de morrer, e nao tem nd melhor doq assistir filme com gente bonita. anne hathaway simplesmente esculachou no papel, como sempre. um romance cheio de reviravoltas, mas com final feliz e previsível. é o filme ideal para assistir caso queira sentir seu coracao mais quentinho, mas também se emocionar e se frustrar com a ideia de ser famoso. chef kiss

Rated 4 out of 5 stars

07/30/25

Full Review

Kim A.

Favorite romcom of all time!

Rated 5 out of 5 stars

07/27/25

Full Review

Read all reviews

Read More

Read Less

POST RATING

WRITE A REVIEW

EDIT REVIEW

Michael Showalter

Director

Anne Hathaway

Solene

Nicholas Galitzine

Hayes

Ella Rubin

Izzy

Annie Mumolo

Tracy

Reid Scott

Daniel

The Worst Person in the World

96%

86%

The Worst Person in the World

Watchlist

TRAILER

for The Worst Person in the World

You Hurt My Feelings

94%

64%

You Hurt My Feelings

Watchlist

TRAILER

for You Hurt My Feelings

Anora

93%

84%

Anora

Watchlist

TRAILER

for Anora

Materialists

80%

66%

Materialists

Watchlist

TRAILER

for Materialists

The Good House

71%

76%

The Good House

Watchlist

TRAILER

for The Good House

Discover more movies and TV shows.

View More

The Idea of You: Trailer 1

2:20

View more videos

View more photos

Synopsis

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
Producer: Cathy Schulman, Gabrielle Union, Anne Hathaway, Robinne Lee, Eric Hayes, Jordana Mollick, Michael Showalter
Screenwriter: Michael Showalter, Jennifer Westfeldt
Distributor: Amazon Studios
Production Co: Somewhere Pictures, Amazon Studios, I'll Have Another, Welle Entertainment
Rating: R (Some Language|Sexual Content)
Genre: Romance, Drama, Comedy
Original Language: English
Release Date (Theaters): May 2, 2024, Limited
Release Date (Streaming): May 2, 2024
Runtime: 1h 55m

Most Popular at Home Now