For anyone who is even remotely into romance novels, Ali Hazelwood is a name you can’t miss on all the lists—BookTok took her novels in as one of their own. And of Hazelwood’s greatest hits, The Love Hypothesis (2021), her breakout debut, is arguably the most popular.
The book is about PhD candidate Olive Smith pretending to date Dr Adam Carlsen, all to convince her BFF Anh Pham to date the guy that Olive herself previously had a crush on. Carlsen is in the relationship for grant renewal purposes—Stanford wants to see him set down roots before they give him millions of $$$.
The movie casts Lili Reinhart as Olive Smith and Tom Bateman as Dr Adam Carlsen (aka Dr Evil) and basically stays true to the book (readers are not going to have much to complain about). There’s the classic fake dating shtick, a little grumpy-meets-sunshine trope going (with great chemistry between the leads!), real romcom energy, and plenty of cringe to go around.
For those unfamiliar with the book, here are a couple more fun facts—like most great literature, this started off as fanfic. In particular, Star Wars fanfic first published on Archive of Our Own (AO3) and originally titled Head over Feet. The fanfic focused on Rey and Kylo Ren, renamed Olive and Adam, respectively. So Adam is based on Adam Driver, Olive is based on Daisy Ridley, and the villain, Dr Tom Benton, is named Tom after Daisy Ridley’s real-life husband, Tom Bateman. Yes, the same Tom Bateman playing Adam in the film... Feel free to read that again.
Evidently, the new Amazon Prime film begs to be discussed, debriefed, and extensively commentated upon. Below, every thought we had while watching The Love Hypothesis.
- Here we go with that Grey’s Anatomy-ass voiceover of molecule metaphors as the long-winded reminder that a woman in STEM has little time for love! (Unless it’s somehow forbidden, of course.)
- Before you get in too deep: drinking game idea. Take a shot every time someone says anything that resembles “as a scientist”, “I’m a scientist” or “as a woman in science”. You won’t remember your own name.
- The movie has just begun, and I already know who my favourite character is going to be—spoiler alert, it’s Anh.
- I can’t actually focus on this exposition because Olive’s bronde hair is stressing me out. Bronde is the hair colour equivalent of skinny jeans—I am not ready for it to make its return.
- I think I am used to book pacing, but this seems to be moving awfully fast... Kiss #1 is already here...
- Yes, the job interview process is just like dating—acting aloof and cold is the way to go. Great advice, Malcolm.
- Anh came here all the way from the Adults set (where she plays Carly) to remind us that Gen Z media has evolved past a cardinal girl code rule: thou shalt not pursue the one who caught your best friend’s eye first.
- I am loving Olive’s there-but-not-really manicure, but let’s be real: how is she not popping a lab glove in those acrylics.
- I must say that Tom Bateman is basically exactly who I pictured when I was reading The Love Hypothesis back in 2022.
- Why is the background score so dramatic? I feel like I’m in a Karan Johar film.
- Ahh, here comes the section with the fake dating rules—yes, we know sex isn’t part of the arrangement. Which, of course, means that we’ll be seeing sex on screen within the hour.
- A fellow doctoral candidate photographing them at the campus coffee shop and posting it on her grid—first of all, unwell behaviour, but more importantly, the celeb fanfic roots are showing.
- Malcolm can dunk on demisexuals all he wants, but they are basically the reason romcoms exist.
- If—sorry, when—they do have sex in this movie, I am strongly of the belief that she will be losing her virginity. She has no family, no past, no friends, no game. You cannot tell me she’s had a love life that evolved into a sex life. And that’s my hypothesis.
- A shirtless Tom Bateman makes an appearance and the girl in front of us yells, “He’s so hot!!!” Yes, girl, yes.
- “Dr Carlsen, was that a joke?” I know fanfic writing when I see it. This film was brought to you by the minds that once fantasised about being sold to One Direction.
- Now I understand why Prime Originals release direct to streaming. Having this much of the TSITP target audience in one space is a safety hazard.
- Lili Reinhart giving the fake story of how they met to embarrass Tom Bateman is really giving ’90s romcom—Kate Hudson in How to Lose a Guy In 10 Days meets Sandra Bullock in The Proposal.
- Dr Tom Benton just made Olive talk about her research proposal in a room full of her professors and Adam did nothing? 10 for you, Adam!
- Being too online has really enriched my viewing experience. Like what do you mean actor Tom Bateman is in a scene squaring up against character Dr Tom Benton—a character based on him... That alone makes it a contender for an Academy Award for Achievement in Casting.
- Is it just me or is Adam getting hotter as the film goes on... His hair is really doing its thing now... the sleeves of his T-shirt are really making his biceps pop too.
- I think Adam’s stylists literally had a one-word brief: black.
- This film (yes, film) has such a diverse mix of Gen Z, millennial, corny, and fanfic-coded dialogue. Something for everyone!
- How can two broke PhD students afford to have SO many parties?
- My personal favourite part of their fake dating charade is them watching Love Island with Anh and Jeremy. Just wait till they get to Casa Amor, Dr Evil. You aren’t ready.
- Him lifting her up into the air (all the way into the hotel room, mind you) because her heels are uncomfy... There are men written by women and then there are men written for fanfic. +10 for you, Adam!
- I’m not on board with Tom Bateman smiling during this film. Please make it stop. Robotic characters having a human side is less and less endearing to me in the age of AI.
- No matter what colour her hair is, I just can’t separate Betty from Lili Reinhart anymore. I just want to tell her to be with Archie.
- “How should we break up?” is an amazing question that I will be asking in every relationship, situationship or marriage I get into henceforth.
- Fuck Dr Tom Benton. That's all.
- Malcolm, getting kicked off the lab you never wanted to be in is kind of the best thing for you. Your talent is clearly throwing parties so good that even Stanford nerds can get down. You should become a promoter. And I should become a career counsellor.
- This Kal Ho Naa Ho-style letting her go by making her think you’re not interested (when you are, in fact, pining hardcore) helps no one. Don’t we know that by now? A little honest conversation will go a long way, if you ask me.
- Damn, no matter how over your life might seem, I guess all it takes is one good, honest talk with your best friend to make it all okay.
- Again with this background score... it’s a Marvel movie when the villain enters...
- I’m sorry, but when Adam tries to be villain-y and points a finger to threaten the real villain, a laugh pops out of me. C’mon, Adam! You could throw one punch at least.
- Yes, Anh, the movie is not about the bond between Olive and Adam—it’s about the sisterhood. Thanks for reinforcing my accurate assumption at the start of this film.
- Honestly, Olive getting a big revelatory piece of information via Instagram live stream is very Gen Z/efficient! And funny. I’m not mad at it.
- This whole red polka-dot dress vibe Olive’s got going is giving very Deepika Padukone in Yeh Jawaani Hai Deewani energy—she just needs to add a denim jacket and we’d be set.
- This made me think about Lili Reinhart’s Love Hypothesis press tour looks and honestly I was in love with all her romcom tribute looks.
- Good god, this nerd flirting is more than I can stomach.
- Again with the Grey’s Anatomy-style voiceover and I’m full-body cringing at Olive closing with a line about the ‘chemistry of belonging’.
