These are times of chaos, these are times of change, but they are definitely times for readers — and now it’s The Love Hypothesis’s turn.
When I read this book by Ali Hazelwood a few years ago, it wasn’t that popular to adapt romantic comedies, but major streaming platforms are now treating us to a healthy dose of romantic content based on novels like Off-Campus, People We Meet on Vacation, My Life with the Walter Boys, and Every Year After.
So it’s a great time for love — and an even better one for readers who are fans of romance.
The Love Hypothesis draws on a narrative trope used in many other stories: fake dating. But it gives us a less-explored perspective on the world of science and what it means to be a woman in a field historically led by men. Women in science, technology, engineering, and mathematics have to work harder to be taken seriously, yet they also rarely take center stage as protagonists in books or movies — which seems to silence the voices we need to hear.
When Olive Smith (Lili Reinhart), a Stanford Ph.D. student, wants to prove to her best friend, Anh Pham (Rachel Marsh), that she has a love life, she kisses the first man who crosses her path. He is none other than Dr. Adam Carlsen (Tom Bateman), also known as Dr. Evil, a hypercritical professor who seems more like a robot than a man with whom she could have a real relationship.
However, the two agree to fake a relationship that would benefit them both, and closeness can always lead to something more.
Olive and Adam are more alike than they seem. Both are socially awkward, deeply passionate about their work, disciplined, and have an unwavering professional ethic. Although Olive is a warm and pleasant person, she struggles with public speaking and with situations in which she has to prove her worth: she sweats and can’t find the right words, even when discussing topics she’s been researching for years. Adam, for his part, doesn’t know how to talk to other people without coming across as cold, harsh, and unkind — a brilliant man when it comes to science, but not so much when it comes to speaking without crushing others’ spirits, which isn’t very effective when he’s trying to motivate them. Not all of us are born with the skills needed to navigate social situations naturally, and people who work in science are often associated with these less sociable traits.
Amazon Prime gets it right again by bringing a romantic story to its screens. The Love Hypothesis isn’t just a romance — it’s also about how women are increasingly taking on key roles and everything that comes with it.
When Olive dares to dream big, she also faces other realities that have held women back in science in the past: idea theft and sexual harassment. This reality can be frustrating and stir up insecurities about personal worth.
However, when Olive is knocked down, no prince comes to her rescue; instead, her best friend encourages her to believe in herself and take action. She knows she can do it and moves forward, which reinforces the idea of the power of female friendship.
It’s time for more girls to feel that they belong in the world of science because of their own abilities, and fiction — this time through a character beautifully played by Reinhart — can help them begin to imagine themselves in those worlds.
Furthermore, the film also helps us see that the people behind important research (or those who aspire to work in those labs) have personal lives, too. When I worked as a digital editor with scientists from different fields of study, I saw firsthand just how passionate they are about their work. Some of them look up at the stars; others, toward the horizon of the farmlands; and others, into the human body in an effort to help people — just as Olive does with her research on pancreatic cancer.
They all have fulfilling professional lives and personal lives that can be just as exciting. They all deserve love and, above all, to be at the center of these heartwarming stories.
If you haven’t seen the movie yet, you know what I’m talking about. You’ve probably been bombarded by all the marketing on social media. The actors were on every podcast and in every interview with journalists and influencers.
Reinhart also made a ton of public appearances in iconic romantic comedy dresses, which drew a lot of attention.
All this publicity makes us wonder: Why isn’t there more buzz like this for so many movies that definitely deserve to be seen but often go overlooked in the endless sea of streaming content?