In The Idea of You, a single mother falls in love with a member of a popular boy band that used to be her daughter’s favorite. The movie is now streaming on Prime Video.
Warning: This article contains heavy spoilers
Plot summary
Solène Marchand and her daughter, Izzy, are on two different adventures. While Izzy’s father, Daniel, is taking Izzy and her friends to Coachella, Solène will be going camping solo.
At the very last minute, Daniel cancels his plans, forcing Solène to be the one taking her daughter and her friends to Coachella.
At the event, while Izzy and her friends wander off, Solène, searching for the restroom, walks into the trailer of Hayes Campbell, a member of the boy band August Moon.
August Moon used to be Izzy’s favorite boy band when she was 10, but now she thinks they are so seventh grade.
Solène doesn’t recognize Hayes at all. Even when Hayes introduces himself, Solène doesn’t seem to care much about him, which impresses Hayes, prompting him to ask her out.
Solène stays for a drink until Hayes is required to show up for a signing and go up on the stage.
During the autograph signing, one of Izzy’s friends mentions that Solène owns an art gallery in Silver Lake when the boy band is admiring her beauty.
Later, during August Moon’s performance, the band stops abruptly. Hayes improvises, and they sing a song that is clearly for Solène. Hayes even mentions that he met someone tonight.
Hayes visits Solène’s art gallery to buy art. The truth is, he intends to get to know Solène better.
Hayes hears Solène’s stories and also the stories behind the art she has. Eventually, he confesses that he is swayed by her.
Solène appreciates the honesty, and the two continue to hang out, with Solène having Hayes over at her house, where they share more intimate stories.
When Hayes encourages her to open up, saying what’s the worst that can happen, Solène tells him how she and Daniel got separated and divorced.
Daniel cheated on her and kept it from her. Everyone knew about it except her. What’s worse is that she was nice to him about it. She offered to forget about it for their family.
However, Daniel didn’t want to move past it. He left Solène for Eva, the woman he was having an affair with.
Hayes and Solène kiss, but Solène is reluctant to date Hayes because he is way too younger than her; she could be his mother’s age.
Hayes keeps trying to stay in touch with Solène, find ways to meet her, and invite her over. Even Solène feels the need to meet him too.
Hence, Solène visits him, and the two get together. The two agree to keep their affair a secret. Hayes is going to introduce Solène to everyone as his art consultant.
Solène joins Hayes on his tour. She doesn’t tell her daughter that she is dating Hayes. Solène thinks their secret affair would work, but she is unaware that they are being clicked together.
Ending explained:
The breakup
During a weekend getaway with Hayes and his friends, Solène feels that she doesn’t fit in with all the young boys and girls.
She also comes to know how different Hayes was before she entered his life. He actually lived like a pop star.
What’s surprising to her is that Hayes has dated an older woman before, and he used the same tricks he used on Solène.
Solène is disappointed because Hayes made her feel similar to what Daniel made her feel. She is yet again clueless about her partner’s behavior.
Hayes doesn’t want to let Solène go because, for the first time in his life, he feels happy. Also, because of her, he is writing music he cares about.
Hayes expects Solène to say she feels the same. When she doesn’t, Hayes expresses that he feels she never gave them a chance. If that had been the case, Solène’s friends would have known about him.
Giving them a chance
Solène comes back home to find a piece of art that she showed Hayes earlier, which he has now bought for her.
The next day, Daniel visits with the car he has planned as a gift to Izzy. While they are discussing the car, Daniel mentions that his friend saw Solène and Hayes together.
Solène says that Hayes is just a client. Daniel acts like a hypocrite and tells Solène that it won’t be right to have a relationship with a 24-year-old world-famous pop star.
While Daniel may not agree that he is a hypocrite, his current partner, Eva, does, and she lets Solène know that she is leaving Daniel soon.
Things go bad as pictures of Hayes and Solène take the internet by storm. While the whole internet is criticizing this relationship, it’s Izzy Solène is most worried about.
Izzy is mad because, just like her father, her mother lied to her too. Solène promises her that this won’t happen again.
Izzy is also mad at the trolls on the internet who are picking Solène apart because she is a woman older than Hayes.
Izzy comforts her mother and asks her whether she likes Hayes. After learning how Hayes is, Izzy thinks her mother shouldn’t have broken up with Hayes.
Revisiting five years later
Solène visits Hayes, and the two agree to date each other publicly this time. The whole world is after them, but they believe that the heat will soon dissipate.
Izzy is prepared to face the media constantly surrounding them. However, when it becomes too much, Izzy is not really able to handle things.
Solène puts Izzy above everything. Even though Hayes is reluctant to break up again, he agrees to part ways with Solène.
Hayes asks Solène to promise him that they will revisit this five years later, when Izzy is out of school, living her best life, and he is a D-list celebrity no one cares about.
Solène believes it is too long. She wants Hayes to grab the happiness if he finds it.
Five years later, Izzy is in Chicago. Hayes seems to have gone solo, as Solène watches him perform a song on The Graham Norton Show.
On the show, Hayes mentions that he is going to see someone in LA. Solène is expecting to see him at her shop, and Hayes does show up.
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