It’s always a treat whenever Anne Hathaway drops a brand-new movie, and her latest is definitely a novelty. The fan-favorite star is returning to the romantic comedy genre with The Idea of You, after starring in a number of psychological thrillers as of late. She stars alongside Nicholas Galitzine of Red, White & Royal Blue fame. Fans have greatly anticipated this particular entry on the 2024 movie schedule, and it’s now screened at South By Southwest ahead of its official premiere this spring. On that note, the first reactions are in, and they’re saying the same thing about Hathaway and Galitzine’s performances.
Based on Robinne Lee’s debut 2017 novel of the same name, the film sees Anne Hathaway play 40-year-old, divorced single mother Solène Marchand. The film centers around her growing romance with Hayes Campbell – a 24-year-old member of a pop band. The Idea of You trailer teased the chemistry between its two leads, and some have been curious about how they’d play off each other. Well, thankfully, not only has the movie been well received thus far, but pundits are also praising Hathaway’s work as well as that of her co-star. Film reporter saw the rom-com at SXSW and said the following about it on X:
It’s a HIT!! ‘THE IDEA OF YOU’ is a delightful & irresistible romantic comedy! The perfect film to close #SXSW! It’s a gender-flipping take of ‘NOTTING HILL,’ but MUCH SEXIER, thanks to the AMAZING CHEMISTRY between ANNE HATHAWAY & NICHOLAS GALITZINE!
As alluded to, the journalist is far from the only one who had positive thoughts on the interplay between the two lead actors. TV Insider’s Avery Thompson lauded the pair as well while sharing a glowing reaction to the flick:
#TheIdeaOfYou hits all the right notes. It's sexy, soapy, glamorous. Anne Hathaway is luminous, and Nicholas Galitzine is charming as hell. Their chemistry is off the charts. A win for the romance genre!
I suppose it shouldn’t come as too much of a surprise that the stars apparently crushed it. After all, Anne Hathaway has plenty of romantic movies under her belt and of course, is just an all-around skilled actress. Nicholas Galitzine is also steadily proving himself as a skiller performer, as he received rave reviews for his performance in Red, White & Royal Blue. Still, it’s not easy finding actors who gel when crafting a rom-com, and the best romantic comedies of all time usually have an A+ pair of actors in the lead roles. That may be one of the reasons why Kathy Paz of Deco Drive enjoyed the movie so much:
#TheIdeaofYou makes you feel everything. The film is utterly delightful from start to finish. It’s charming, sexy, fun, and above all else, incredibly heartfelt. Anne Hathaway and [Nicholas Galitzine] are a match made in rom-com heaven. Their chemistry is electrifying, and it radiates.
What’s also fun about this particular production is the musical layer that’s present due to the Hayes Campbell character being a member of a band, which fans think is similar to One Direction. The fictional group, August Moon, appears to have a massive following within the world of the movie, but Business Insider’s Virginia Alves is one as well. She shouted out the group while also heaping praise on the chemistry between the leads:
Officially an August Moon fan! #TheIdeaofYou was SO good. Very different to the book in all the best ways. The chemistry was amazing. I cried, I laughed, I danced in my seat. I breathed the same air as my Queen Anne Hathaway. What an experience!
There are plenty of rom-coms that play the proceedings relatively light, though some don’t mind getting a little steamier. According to Tamara Fuentes of Cosmopolitan, fans may want to brace themselves for some spicy moments as they take in the A+ work the actors do:
Get ready for #TheIdeaofYou because it is IT! Hot, sexy, and also just fun, it’s an interesting exploration of a whirlwind romance that goes deeper than you think. Anne Hathaway and Nicholas Galitzine have incredible chemistry. The fashion is everything! And then there’s also the incredible dramatic moments in the film’s third act that prove that this is more than what the headlines and trailer want you to think. It’s stellar, refreshing, and another win for romance films.
It remains to be seen if the Michael Showalter-directed movie – which counts Gabrielle Union amongst its producers – will go down as one of the best all-time rom-coms. At the very least though, it sounds like this is an entertaining and sweet piece of work that builds on the momentum that the genre has amassed as of late (thanks in part to Anyone But You). We still have a bit of time before the production hits our screens and, after seeing these first reactions, I’d wager that fans will now be more excited than ever to see the principal stars’ chemistry.
The Idea of You will be available for Prime Video subscribers to stream starting on May 2. In the meantime, know that that same membership will allow you to see Nicholas Galitzine’s work in Red, White & Royal Blue. You can also check out some of Anne Hathaway’s best movies to keep yourself occupied until her newest flick finally premieres.
