The Love Hypothesis Review

The Love Hypothesis, streaming on Prime Video starting September 23, is a rom-com adaptation of Ali Hazelwood's 2021 New York Times bestseller. The film's roots lie in Hazelwood's frustration with the Star Wars sequels, particularly the treatment of characters Rey and Kylo Ren/Ben Solo. This creative outpouring of fan fiction quickly became an international sensation on BookTok and now a movie, with Hazelwood's story undergoing a modern lens transformation.

The film follows PhD student Olive Smith (Lili Reinhart), who works in a male-dominated science world, and her best friend Anh (Rachel Marsh). When Olive's ex-boyfriend Jeremy (Nicholas Duvernay) takes an interest in Anh, Olive lies to Anh about having a new boyfriend, leading to a forced "fake dating" arrangement. This situation escalates into an awkward but genuine romance between Olive and Dr. Adam Carlsen (Tom Bateman), who needs to create a "girlfriend" to secure his research funding.

The film balances its STEM-centric aspects with humor, including an homage to Real Genius and easter eggs for Star Wars fans. The chemistry between Reinhart and Bateman, along with supporting performances from Rachel Marsh and Jaboukie Young-White, makes The Love Hypothesis an entertaining rom-com that celebrates female friendship.