A Lot or a Little?
What you will—and won't—find in this movie.
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Positive Messages
some
It's good to be able to open up to another person. Age shouldn't matter in love. Don't trust what you read about celebrities online.
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Positive Role Models
some
The main characters both have trust issues, but they find and give love. Solène is a caring mother. She learns to put aside her anger and disappointment about the dissolution of her own marriage. Her ex-husband is a hypocrite who left her for a much younger woman but disparages her relationship.
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Diverse Representations
a little
Main characters are White Americans or Brits. Secondary characters, including members of the boy band and a teen friend group, are Black. The story is based on a popular book by a Black female author of Jamaican, African, Chinese, and British descent.
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Violence & Scariness
a little
A woman is bullied online when she's photographed with a famous younger man. It's clear that a reverse-gender version of their relationship would not outrage so many. She's called a "cougar," "Yoko Ono 2.0," a "whor*," and more. Her friend says, "People hate happy women." He's accused of having "mommy issues." Paparazzi chase her entire family. Teenagers tease her daughter about her mother's relationship, making sexual comments.
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Sex, Romance & Nudity
a lot
Sex scenes include kissing, undressing, removing a woman's undergarments, touching, lying on top of each other, rolling around in bed, suggestion of org*sm, mention of an orgy, penis pictures, being "hot," sleeping with other people, and "screwing." No intimate parts are shown. A woman compares her body to that of a younger woman and pushes up her breasts in the mirror. A woman accuses a man of being an "ASMR" type who likes to listen to people urinate.
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Language
a lot
"F--k," "f--kboy," "s--t," "twat," "penis," "d--k," "whor*," "bitch," "sleazy," and "creep."
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Products & Purchases
a little
Coachella, TikTok, Sirius, Subaru, The Graham Norton Show, Tag Heuer, YouTube, Mac. A divorced dad seems to be giving his daughter expensive gifts out of guilt.
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Drinking, Drugs & Smoking
some
Adults drink alcohol, sometimes to excess (there's mention of being drunk and having hangovers). A person simulates lighting a cigarette. A daughter asks if her mother is high again because she's acting strangely.
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Parents Need to Know
Parents need to know that The Idea of You is based on the same-named novel by Robinne Lee about the unexpected romance between 40-year-old mom Solène (Anne Hathaway) and 24-year-old pop star Hayes (Nicholas Galitzine). There's no graphic nudity, but sex scenes include kissing, undressing, removing a woman's undergarments, intimate touching, rolling around in bed, and the suggestion of org*sm. There's also mention of an orgy, penis pictures, talk of being "hot" and sleeping with other people, and use of the term "screwing." The characters' age difference leads to some online bullying/harassment: Solène is called a "cougar," "Yoko Ono 2.0," a "bitch," a "whor*," and more, and Hayes is accused of having "mommy issues." Solène's teenage daughter is also trolled. Language also includes "f--k," "f--kboy," "s--t," "twat," "penis," "d--k," "whor*," "bitch," "sleazy," and "creep." Adults drink alcohol, and there are some heated/emotional verbal exchanges. To stay in the loop on more movies like this, you can sign up for weekly Family Movie Night emails.
What's the Story?
In THE IDEA OF YOU, 40-year-old mom/art gallery owner Solène (Anne Hathaway) accidentally meets 24-year-old band member Hayes Campbell (Nicholas Galitzine) behind the scenes at Coachella. The two feel an instant connection, and Hayes seeks her out later at her Los Angeles gallery. Sparks fly, and suddenly Solène, a bitter divorcée with a teenage daughter (Ella Rubin), finds herself flying off to New York and then Europe for an unexpected romance with this younger man. But will their growing connection be able to withstand the withering eyes of his bandmates, her family and friends, and judgmental society?
Talk to Your Kids About ...
Families can talk about their feelings about the relationship between Solène and Hayes in The Idea of You. Do you think the age difference is inappropriate? Do you think the characters make the right decisions? Why or why not?
What messages does this film contain about social media, and especially media attention, to the private lives of celebrities? How does this relate to your own life?
Does August Moon remind you of any real-life boy bands? Do you think the experiences Hayes describes might be based on real life?
Have you read the popular book this film is based on? What does the film do better, and vice versa? What's your favorite literary adaptation on film?
Movie Details
- On DVD or streaming: May 2, 2024
- Cast: Anne Hathaway, Nicholas Galitzine
- Director: Michael Showalter
- Inclusion Information: Female actors, Female writers
- Studio: Amazon Prime Video
- Genre: Romance
- Topics: Book Characters, Music and Sing-Along
- Run time: 115 minutes
- MPAA rating: R
- MPAA explanation: some language and sexual content
- Last updated: April 29, 2024
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