The Idea of You Parent Guide

An unexpected trip to Coachella with her teenage daughter Izzy (Ella Rubin) brings Solène (Anne Hathaway) to the attention of Hayes Campbell (Nicholas Galitzine), singer in the boy band August Moon. Hayes is intrigued, Solène is awkward, and the encounter ends quickly, with the musician wanting more.

Hayes might be young but he’s resourceful and a few days later he surprises Solène at the art gallery she owns. After buying the contents, he turns on the charm, and persuades the very cautious soon-to-be-40-year-old that their 16-year age gap shouldn’t stop them from exploring a relationship. Against her better judgment, Solène decides to take the risk. With Izzy at camp for the summer, Solène jets off for the romantic adventure of a lifetime.

At first glance, The Idea of You is a reworking of the Cinderella story – an underappreciated woman is swept off her feet by a handsome, high status man. In this case, the story tilts in the direction of the 2022 Cinderella film adaptation (incidentally also starring Nicholas Galitzine), in which the woman likes the man but has no interest in the trappings of his life. That Cinderella doesn’t want the palace that comes with the prince, and this Solène doesn’t want the notoriety that comes with the celebrity. Unfortunately for both of them, Hayes can’t be separated from his fame, and, as we all know, their relationship can’t be kept private permanently. When photos explode across the internet, Hayes and Solène will learn that their age difference is far from the biggest challenge they face.

In a quiet moment, Hayes confides that his greatest fear is that he’ll be seen as a joke – that being in a boy band will make him a punchline. It’s a valid concern, but not nearly as pressing as Solène’s fear of what people will say about them. Hayes insists that it doesn’t matter – but Solène knows that she’s the one who is going to be turned into a punchline – and a target for hate. And when it happens, it’s devastating and poses an existential threat to their relationship.

Luckily, The Idea of You has a cast that brings both heart and nuance to their roles – and quite a bit of chemistry. Anne Hathaway, with her generous smile and warm eyes, gives honesty, trepidation, and vulnerability to the role. And Nicholas Galitzine manages to be more than cheekbones, pecs, and British accent (which will make susceptible viewers swoon), bringing his own vulnerability, sincerity, and tenacious hope to the screen. Remarkably, he even does his own singing in the role and he’s not half bad. (I wouldn’t advise switching careers, but Galitzine holds his own and avoids the kind of public humiliation that befell Pierce Brosnan for his vocals in Mamma Mia!.) Fans of romance flicks will find plenty to cheer about here, as the film uses expected genre tropes while still making the story feel emotionally authentic.

What family movie fans will not appreciate is the script’s negative content. The leads’ chemistry is on full display in frequent scenes of passionate kissing, groping, and bedroom embraces. There are also some dimly lit sex scenes which involve clothing removal and more kissing but no explicit nudity. Add in eight sexual expletives and another 20+ profanities, and this is clearly not a film aimed at family audiences. Oh, and one final criticism –the badly skinned ferret masquerading as a haircut that Hayes wears in the final scene is a real buzz kill that totally took me out of the story and into full critic mode. Hopefully that’s just me and doesn’t kill the vibe for other viewers.