Based on the novel by Ali Hazelwood, The Love Hypothesis follows Olive Smith (Lili Reinhart), a woman in STEM who is trying to find a cure for pancreatic cancer. Having dedicated most of her life to her passion, she has let other areas of her life go. Attempting to convince her best friend Anh (Rachel Marsh) that she has moved on from her long time crush on their mutual friend Jeremy (Nicholas Duvernay), Olive says that she is dating Dr. Adam Carlsen (Tom Bateman). Hated by her peers for his standoffish behaviour and unusual teaching style, nobody understands why Olive and Adam are together. What starts off as a fake relationship that is mutually beneficial for them both turns into something neither one of them would have expected.
Essentially Star Wars fan fiction, Hazelwood’s novel blew up after its release in 2021. I did read the book, but I wasn’t a big fan. I’m quite fussy about my romances okay? What made me want to check out the film adaption was the casting choices. Not to mention the fact that it actually looked really cute. Maybe I could get on board now. Turns out I had such a fun time with it.
I was glad to have Reinhart on my screen again and in a romantic comedy lead no doubt. She was the perfect choice for Olive from the looks down to the mannerisms. As for Bateman, I find it amusing that he’s married to one half of the couple that this relationship is based on (Daisy Ridley). It seemed only fitting that he was casted as the male lead. The two were absolutely electric together. Their first few encounters were so awkward, it was actually hilarious. I couldn’t help but giggle. But as they got to know each other, the sparks really began to fly. That hotel scene in Boston was pure fire!
Unfortunately I cannot speak to how close the film was to the book as I simply do not remember all of the details. What I can say is that it was an enjoyable story that was easy to follow. Not only that, but I appreciated the way in which they dealt depicted Olive and her journey working in science. It is known that women are treated differently than men are in this field. The fact that this is still happening in 2026 is ridiculous so I am glad that it was touched on in an appropriate way.
We need more movies like The Love Hypothesis. It was simply a feel good time. The chemistry between the two leads might have been what made me want to watch it in the first place, but I ended up getting so much more out of the experience.
Rating: ♥️♥️♥️♥️
