The Thought of a Classic Romance Film
Amazon Prime Delivers Well With The Idea of You Likely To Please Viewers
The more things change, the more they stay the same. Though decades have passed since the age of rom-coms and testimonies to the power of love, the genres and themes still move viewers. Strong faith is still held in fate or love at first sight. Even if streamed only on Hulu, Peacock, or Amazon Prime, romance films still open doors to the promise of love that transcends backgrounds, ages, or generations. How amazing that romantic films have not gone the way of the typewriter. How wonderful if the thought of a good old-fashioned romance film can be actualized.
How could two people be any more different?
Solene Machard is a middling art gallery owner, divorcee, and mother of a teen weathering life after betrayal and broken dreams. Devoted to celebrating her independence and finding her true self, the last thing she ever dreams of is a new romance.
Hayes Campbell is a British twenty-something lead singer in a globally acclaimed heart-throb boy band August Moon. Having found international fame and massive fortune, he faces the all-too-familiar pop star angst of never having his authentic self known. Though he has a thing for older women, he could never have imagined falling head over heels for the mother of one of his teen fans who is maybe old enough to be his mother.
But opposites attract. Also, this is the world of a contemporary Amazon Prime original romance film The Idea of You where the extraordinary can happen. Who knows if the seemingly familiar plot would not have gone over as well if it wasn’t for the superb acting of Anne Hathaway as Solene and the rookie British film star Nicholas Galitzine as Hayes Campbell? Probably well enough, since the writers, producers, and other actors put something spectacular together here.
Based on the 2017 novel of the same name, the film eloquently leads viewers through the unlikely couple’s magical and serendipitous romance. When Solene is forced into taking her teen daughter Izzy and friends to a band extravaganza meet and greet, she mistakes Hayes’ dressing trailer for a bathroom. The two make a connection, and weeks later the pop star suddenly shows up to buy everything at her art studio. An afternoon of art and deep conversation leads to passionate kissing. Of course, Solene is not quite yet ready to mold the clay with her younger suitor. Hayes leaves with his bodyguard as quickly as he came but places his watch on Solene’s bureau for later return.
Weeks later, when Izzy is away at camp and Solene is left to her lonesome, she receives an unexpected text from an unknown number. It is Hayes, that sneaky bloke, and he has managed to grab her cell number from the studio invoice. Despite her attempts to blow him off, Hayes manages to woo her once again. Before viewers know what’s happening, Solene is off to New York to return Hayes’s watch and certainly offer a lot more. Then it is off to Europe to tour with Hayes and his band. The classic romance plot unfolds. It’s quite a bit like Notting Hill and nothing like The Way We Were.
How does Amazon Prime deliver romance so particularly well? You’ve got the Modern Love series and numerous original rom-com films. A ’90s romance sucker myself, I don’t think I’ve replayed so many scenes from a rom-com since The Wedding Singer or You’ve Got Mail. And The Idea of You includes so many feature songs as well as unmatched chemistry between the two main stars. Like previous classic romances, the film does most things so well that it leaves little room for criticism. Maybe Solene’s ex-husband Daniel and his new wife Eva could be more three-dimensional. At one point in the film Eva secretly announces to Solene that she is leaving Daniel and then invites her to go out for Thai sometime. Perhaps young lovely pop stars are a little flighty, but Hayes’ bandmates seem to fit the cliche a little too well. Whatever lack of substance some of the other characters (not their actors) may have, it is more than balanced out by the dynamic duo of Solene and Hayes brought to life so well by Hathaway and Galitzine.
For anyone who remembers Anne Hathaway’s early career as a young adult sensation in The Princess Diaries, it is mesmerizing to consider how much her on-screen presence has grown(though it was powerful to begin with). Remember how the 2001 film had the young Hathaway’s character colliding with San Francisco trolley cars on her journey to claim her role as a princess? In The Idea of You, Hathaway’s Solene contains multitudes. She is full of eloquence, poise, and confidence at her art gallery or when making her way to Hayes’ hotel room in New York. Catch her in a public space or by the pool, however, and she is reserved and vulnerable as she strives to keep her deeper self hidden. Young Galitzine is similarly commanding on set, as his character dominates so many scenes with all the charm of a British chap. Yet he secretly does not find happiness until he meets Solene.
As with its protagonists, viewers will be particularly drawn to the film’s subtle themes. So much about the way social media and the press respond to the couple’s romance is troubling. Solene is labeled the expected horrible names and cruelly judged. How can a middling mother from L.A. even think of doing such a thing? It’s a common plight women face when they dare to follow their hearts, chase love, or live the life of their dreams. The rich and famous Hayes is not without his own level of adversity. At one point, he describes to Solene how he received a call from his musician idol only to be asked to show up at the musician’s child’s birthday party. At its heart, the film is essentially about two people often misunderstood and too many times deeply hurt. Can your heart love again after being hurt and broken?
Since this is a book-derived film, perhaps we should also include notes about the written work by Robienne Lee. Lee’s original depiction of Hayes’ and Solene’s world holds numerous differences from the film. Narrated from Solene’s point of view, readers glimpse her amazing maturity, wisdom, and conscientiousness. A few plot changes also exist — the couple does not meet on Hayes’ trailer, just in the line for meet and greet. Solene must make multiple trips to meet up with Hayes, rather than just a flight to New York that results in a European holiday. Also, there is that one minor element of age again — Hayes is only 20 in the book and 24 in the film. What a difference a few years makes. The book has just as many captivating and endearing parts of the film. Despite this, the film really takes the whole story in a different direction. Not to give too much of a spoiler alert, but idealistic types will perhaps prefer the film version’s ending to the book. You know, for a happily ever after kind of romance.
But happily ever after or not, is it not quite wonderful our contemporary world can still be wooed by the classic romance story? The dream that two people meandering on their life’s path can intersect and find love and fulfillment with one another is very much alive. You wouldn’t need to have those elements of pop star-dom or age differences or children in the mix to realize that, but with The Thought of You each element is woven in so intricately.
