“The Love Hypothesis” tells the story of Olive Smith (played by Lili Reinhart) and Adam Carlsen (played by Tom Bateman), adapted from the popular book written by Ali Hazelwood. Released on Sept. 23 on Prime Video, the film was much anticipated, but it didn’t quite live up to expectations.
The movie follows the classic movie and book trope: the “fake-dating romance.” When Olive, a Ph.D student and researcher at Stanford, tries to trick her best friend Ahn into believing that she has a boyfriend and is not interested in Ahns’ crush, she ends up kissing Dr. Adam Carlsen, informally known as “Dr. Evil.”
Olive then gets caught in Adam’s proposal to join a fake-dating agreement. His goal was to convince his research department to give him funds to keep researching at Stanford. By convincing Olive that she could use this opportunity to help Ahn pursue the guy she likes, Adam and Olive form an alliance.
As a character, Olive is relatable, awkward and funny. She is the one who truly leads the story and makes scenes pop.
Adam, meanwhile, is a cold, stiff and antisocial character who, throughout the film, gets out of his comfort zone as he spends more time with Olive. The actors did a great job embodying the characters, but two very important aspects are missing in their romance: chemistry and development.
As a rom-com, the movie should display exactly those qualities.
While the movie is definitely comedic, the romance lacks. When their fake relationship begins, Olive and Adam are uncomfortable together and somewhat corny.
The two “lovers” begin to warm up to one another and allow their more vulnerable sides to show. But even then, their chemistry isn’t palpable. Their passion isn’t intensely displayed so that viewers can see that they are absolutely in love.
The climax of their romantic story feels like it came out of nowhere, with no buildup or proper development.
The writing of the film was good, but not perfect. When adding depth to Olive’s backstory, it excelled. But Adam felt one-dimensional, with a limited backstory and a superficial excuse for being mean to students. It made him subpar to Olive in terms of complexity.
The film’s plot revolved more around Olive than the romance between the two. While she is the protagonist, the film could’ve put more emphasis on the couple.
Nonetheless, the movie had great elements. The comedy in the film was outstanding. The costuming was also very well-done, making the characters look as students in graduate school normally do: casual, stylish and a bit chaotic.
The friendship between Ahn and Olive also stole the show, highlighting that love doesn’t just come in the form of romance.
The movie also successfully captured the struggles of women in STEM. As Olive navigates her PhD study and research at Stanford, she encounters challenges like stubborn and misogynistic professors, as well as a wicked researcher who tries to take advantage of her both academically and sexually.
In “The Love Hypothesis,” Olive faced her fears, followed her passion and overcame all struggles. She found Adam, the love of her life, unexpectedly while also helping him come out of his shell. Although not perfect, this sweet love story was endearing and fun to watch.
Rating: 3/5