Love Hypothesis is a fun film with sweet moments, decent chemistry, and plenty of heart even when it occasionally falls flat.
Love Hypothesis is that rom-com that falls in the “fake it till you make it” sub-genre with plenty of—hopefully believable—scientific jargon. The relationships are sweet, and it takes the time to develop more relationships aside from the main pair, creating a little world for us to view. But it’s because, overall, the story is more than a love story. It’s about finding your people. That is inarguably much more important than any romantic entanglement. Love Hypothesis is a fun film with sweet moments, decent chemistry, and plenty of heart even when it occasionally falls flat.
Claire Scanlon (The People We Hate at the Wedding, Abbott Elementary) directs the movie based on a book by Ali Hazelwood with a screenplay penned by Sarah Rothschild (Rocking the Boat, The Sleepover). The story follows Olive Smith, played by Lili Reinhart (Forbidden Fruits, American Sweatshop), a lone girl entering college. Her solo status soon ends when she meets her soon-to-be bestie, Anh Pham, played by Rachel Marsh (The Morning Show, Fallout). When Olive lies to Anh about a nonexistent boyfriend, she winds up kissing Dr. Adam Carlsen, played by Tom Bateman(Hedda, Thirteen Lives), who all the students refer to as Dr. Evil, to sell it. Because he needs a fake partner too, they pretend to be a couple. But the relationship becomes more real than either anticipated.
Love Hypothesis Has So Many Awkwardly Funny Moments
Here, the comedy and interactions between Olive and Adam are always off-center, especially initially. They look like two guppies floundering too close to each other. So, it makes way for a lot of laughs because watching them try to be a couple is as uncomfortable for the audience, but in a good, funny way. Characters like Anh, her love interest Jeremy, played by Nicholas Duvernay (Reminders of Him, Perfect Addiction), and Olive’s roommate Malcolm, played by Jaboukie Young-White (The Threesome, Companion), share in the viewers’ dismay. It’s that cringe smile that has no malicious intent, but oodles of discomfort.
Lili Reinhart and Tom Bateman do amazing work, including building their gradual connection. The rest of the cast nail it as well. It’s as though the audience would be right at home standing next to them, watching and questioning what their eyes see. But it’s not only the comedy as they, especially Reinhart, Bateman, Jaboukie Young-White and Rachel Marsh, shine with the more emotional moments. Love Hypothesis basks in its emotional weight thanks to their combined chemistry onscreen.
The Company You Keep
Another frustrating aspect that needs to change is normalizing the love interest having a toxic and predatory circle of friends or acquaintances. Here, Dr. Thomas Benton, played by Arty Froushan (Soulm8te, H Is for Hawk), is a horrendous person, and it’s blatant. His character and connection with Dr. Carlsen were giving Promising Young Woman. While not every man is an abusive predator, far too many have one in their circles and ignore the signs of who they are because “no one’s perfect.”
With that addition in Love Hypothesis, it’s hard to trust Dr. Carlsen’s character given how many years they’ve known each other. Even when Carlsen confronts Benton, based on his words and ease of delivery, it hints at a past where he’s said that and more in front of Carlsen, without the pushback. That’s why Benton looks shocked at his reaction. So, it leaves me less enthusiastic for the lead couple to stay together.
Love Hypothesis is worth delving into, especially if you’re a fan of awkward romantic comedies where the pair are more interested in their scientific work than human relationships. The film’s pace does not drag anywhere, and it’s easy to get lost watching the relationship on the sidelines with the friends. They are too fun. Plus, the message of finding your people will always resonate. Love Hypothesis is fun, and the chemistry between the two leads is adorably awkward, but that aspect of how men deal with men they know left me less enthusiastic for the inevitable re-coupling.
