Within the warmly charming rom-com “The Concept of You,” Anne Hathaway performs a 40-year-old divorcee and Silver Lake artwork gallery proprietor who, after taking her teenage daughter to Coachella, turns into romantically concerned with a 24-year-old heartthrob within the boy band August Moon. They first meet after she errors his trailer for the lavatory.
There are a number of hundred issues about this premise that is likely to be farfetched, together with the chances of discovering love anyplace close to the porta johns of a music competition. However one among them isn’t {that a} younger star like Hayes Campbell ( Nicholas Galitzine ) would fall for a single mother like Solène (Hathaway).
Solène is fashionable, unimpressed by Hayes’ superstar and has bangs so excellent they give the impression of being genetically modified. And, most significantly, she’s Anne Hathaway. Within the energy dynamics of “The Concept of You,” Hayes could also be a fictional pop star however Hathaway is a really actual film star. And you do not neglect it for a second in Michael Showalter’s frivolously interesting showcase of the actor at her resplendent greatest.
“The Concept of You,” which debuts Thursday on Prime Video, is stuffed with all of the sorts of contradictions that may make a rom-com work. The extremely glamorous, megawatt-smiling Hathaway is enjoying a down-to-earth no one. The showbiz veteran within the film is performed by Galitzine, a much less well-known however up-and-coming British actor whose efficiency within the film is kind of genuine. And though the entire situation is undeniably a shiny high-concept Hollywood fairy story, Showalter provides it sufficient texture that “The Concept of You” comes off extra pure and honest than you’d anticipate.
The one factor that actually must make excellent sense in a film like “The Concept of You” is the chemistry. The movie, penned by Showalter and Jennifer Westfeldt from Robinne Lee’s bestseller, takes its time within the early scenes between Solène and Hayes — first at Coachella, then when he stops by her gallery — permitting their rapport to construct convincingly, and giving every actor loads of time to smolder.
As soon as the steamy hotel-room encounters are available “The Concept of You,” the film has, if not swept you away, then no less than ushered you alongside on a European journey of intercourse and room service. On the similar time, it stays trustworthy to its central mission of celebrating middle-aged womanhood. The connection will ultimately trigger a social media firestorm, however its important strain level is whether or not Solène can stick to Hayes after her ex-husband ( Reid Scott ) cheated on her. It is a fairy story she deserves.
Whereas Showalter ( “The Large Sick” ) has lengthy confirmed an ideal present for juggling comedy and drama directly, “The Concept of You” leans extra absolutely into wish-fulfillment romance. That may go away much less to maintain the movie, which has notably neutered among the issues that distinguished the e book.
The Could-December romance has been shrunk a little bit. Within the e book, the singer is 20. On condition that Galitzine is 29 and the 41-year-old Hathaway is nobody’s thought of previous, that is extra like a July-September relationship. Within the e book, the daughter (Ella Rubin) is a big admirer of the pop singer, including to the awkwardness, however within the film, August Moon is “so seventh grade” to her.
There are certainly extra attention-grabbing and funnier locations “The Concept of You” may have gone. However Hathaway and Galitzine are a ok match that, for a pair hours, it is simple to neglect.
However essentially the most convincing factor about “The Concept of You”? August Moon. The film nails the look and sound of boy bands so effectively as a result of it went straight to the supply. The unique songs within the movie are by Savan Kotecha and Carl Falk, the producer-songwriters of, amongst different pop hits, “What Makes You Lovely,” One Path’s debut single.
That connection will in all probability solely additional the sense that “The Concept of You” could be very practically “The Concept of Harry Types.” The filmmakers have distanced the film from any real-life resemblances. However one factor is for positive: With August Moon following 4(asterisk)City of “Turning Crimson” (whose songs have been penned by Billie Eilish and Finneas O’Connell ), we live within the golden age of the fictional boy band.
“The Concept of You,” an Amazon MGM Studios launch, is rated R by the Movement Image Affiliation for some language and sexual content material. Working time: 115 minutes. Two and a half stars out of 4.
