Sometimes, the best love stories begin with a relationship that was never supposed to happen.
With romance books rising to popularity in the BookTok community, it’s hard to ignore the buzz about the newly released film adaptation of The Love Hypothesis by author Ali Hazelwood. She has established herself in the romance genre, winning major awards and nominations. Her bestselling debut novel, The Love Hypothesis, is one of many well-written novels that have eye-catching book covers, making you curious enough to sneak a peek inside. This film adaptation is one of the best romance movies I’ve seen in quite some time, as it delivers tension, chemistry, yearning, and anticipation, which are elements I’ve longed to see in a romance movie. It has the perfect cast, Lili Reinhart as Olive and Tom Bateman as Dr. Carlsen, who make their characters’ complicated love story come to life in an engaging way.
The Love Hypothesis features a fake-dating trope that begins outside a Stanford University laboratory between a graduate student and a research professor. Olive, a graduate student, accidentally kisses Dr. Carlsen, to convince her best friend, Ahn, that she’s moved on from her former crush, Jeremy. Dr. Carlsen has built his reputation on his lack of empathy and ruthlessness towards students, which has caused him to earn the title “Dr. Evil.” While both characters, Olive and Dr. Carlsen, have been put in difficult positions, they came to an agreement, to become fake lovers until they both have accomplished their goals. Olive’s goal is to ensure Ahn dates Jeremy and Dr. Carlsen wants to secure the funding for his research at Stanford University. Olive hopes to convince Ahn that she’s moved on from Jeremy so her best friend can freely date him without feeling guilty or breaking “girl code”. Meanwhile, Dr. Carlsen risks losing his research funding because the university believes that he will eventually leave Stanford, considering him a flight risk. He hasn’t established any roots or personal ties with the university during his stay, such as family, friends, a romantic relationship, or a living arrangement, which raises concerns for Stanford.
The love story between Olive and Dr. Carlsen was certainly memorable, as you can see the chemistry and tension build as they spend more time together. Their relationship develops as they share parts of their stories and personalities that others often overlook, deepening the connection between them as they both show their care and love for one another. Dr. Carlsen shows his affection through acts of service, such as carrying Olive when her feet hurt from wearing heels all day, buying her a healthier drink, helping her prepare for an important research presentation, and, not to mention, the loving gaze he gives her. Olive, on the other hand, shows her affection through words of affirmation by offering him advice to warm up towards others and allow himself to open up emotionally. Their affection for one another is a prime example of how affection can be shown in more than one way and how Olive sees a loving and caring side of Dr. Carlsen that others don’t see.
A relationship formed from an agreement eventually turned into real love. Perhaps the most interesting love story is the one that’s most difficult to imagine, filled with unexpected connections and complicated feelings. Despite their opposing personalities and awkward first impressions, they formed a deep connection that brings out the best in each other. They both went beyond their agreement and helped each other grow academically, professionally, and personally. I loved every second of the film, and I can’t wait to see more of their complex but captivating love story in the sequel, The Two-Body Problem.