Let’s be real for a second. We all watched The Idea of You and immediately felt that specific kind of ache. It wasn’t just the Harry Styles-coded boy band vibes or Anne Hathaway looking effortlessly chic in art galleries. It was the "forbidden" nature of it all. People are obsessed with movies like The Idea of You because they tap into a very specific, very modern fantasy: the idea that a woman’s life—and her desirability—doesn't just evaporate once she hits forty.
It’s about more than just a younger guy. It’s about being seen.
Solène’s story hit a nerve. When she meets Hayes Campbell at Coachella, it isn’t just a random hookup; it’s a collision of two worlds that society says should never touch. If you're looking for that same cocktail of high-stakes fame, age-gap tension, and genuine emotional maturity, you’ve actually got some incredible options. But they aren't all sparkly rom-coms. Some of them are messy. Some are heartbreaking.
The Best Movies Like The Idea of You to Stream Right Now
If you want that exact "famous guy meets normal woman" energy, you have to start with Notting Hill. It’s the blueprint. It’s the DNA. Julia Roberts plays Anna Scott, the biggest movie star in the world, who wanders into a dusty travel bookstore owned by a floppy-haired Hugh Grant. While the genders are flipped compared to The Idea of You, the power dynamic is identical. You have one person living in the suffocating bubble of global fame and another person who provides a "real" escape. The scene where she says, "I'm also just a girl, standing in front of a boy..." is basically the spiritual ancestor of every Hayes and Solène conversation.
Then there’s A Family Affair. Released on Netflix shortly after the Hathaway flick, this one stars Nicole Kidman and Zac Efron. It leans much harder into the comedy, but the core is the same: an older woman (Kidman) begins a whirlwind romance with a younger superstar (Efron). The twist? He’s her daughter’s boss. It’s lighter, sure. It doesn't have the same "indie movie" texture that Michael Showalter gave The Idea of You, but it tackles the same "what will the neighbors think?" anxiety.
Beyond the Boy Band: Age Gaps That Feel Authentic
Sometimes the fame isn't the point. Sometimes it's just the years.
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Take Notes on a Scandal. Okay, wait. This one is dark. It’s not a "fun" watch, but if the age gap and the societal taboo are what fascinated you, this is the masterclass. Cate Blanchett and Judi Dench are terrifyingly good. It explores the wreckage that happens when boundaries are crossed.
On the flip side, you have something like How Stella Got Her Groove Back. This is essential viewing. When it came out in 1998, it was revolutionary. Angela Bassett—looking incredible, by the way—heads to Jamaica and falls for a 20-something Taye Diggs. It deals with the "predator" labels that society unfairly throws at women in these relationships, a theme that The Idea of You touched on during those brutal social media comment sections.
Why We Are Suddenly Obsessed With These Stories
There’s a shift happening in Hollywood. For decades, we watched 50-year-old leading men pair up with 22-year-old actresses and nobody blinked. It was the default setting. Now, movies like The Idea of You are flipping the script, and it’s making certain audiences uncomfortable while making others feel deeply validated.
Robinne Lee, who wrote the original book, has been very open about why she wrote it. She wanted to reclaim the narrative of aging. She’s mentioned in several interviews that Hayes Campbell was inspired by a mix of Harry Styles, Prince Harry, and a few ex-boyfriends, but the real protagonist is the woman rediscovering her body and her worth.
The "Fame" Factor: Romanticizing the Spotlight
There is a specific sub-genre of movies like The Idea of You that focuses on the absurdity of dating a celebrity. It’s a nightmare. Your privacy is gone. Your past is excavated.
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Beyond the Lights is a movie that doesn't get enough credit here. Gugu Mbatha-Raw plays a pop star on the verge of a breakdown who falls for the police officer (Nate Parker) who saves her life. It captures that "Hayes Campbell" loneliness—the feeling of being a product rather than a person. If you liked the scenes in The Idea of You where Hayes talks about how much he hates the boy band machinery, you will love this movie. It’s raw and the music is actually great.
Does it always have to be a younger man?
Not necessarily. What people usually want when they search for movies like The Idea of You is "Emotional Competence." They want a story where the male lead actually values the woman’s intellect and life experience.
Consider Begin Again. Keira Knightley and Mark Ruffalo. There’s no massive age-gap romance here (it’s more of a platonic or "will-they-won't-they" creative partnership), but it shares that specific aesthetic of late-night walks, music production, and the healing power of art. It feels grown up.
The Misconception About "The Idea of You"
A lot of people dismiss these films as "fan fiction." And yeah, The Idea of You started that way in the minds of many readers. But if you look closer, it’s a critique of how we treat mothers. Solène is constantly told she should be "done." Her ex-husband (played with perfect punchability by Reid Scott) treats her like a relic.
The movie isn't just a romance; it’s a rebellion.
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If you want more of that rebellion, watch Gloria Bell with Julianne Moore. She’s a divorcee who spends her nights at disco clubs in LA. She meets a man, things get complicated, but the focus remains entirely on her internal life. It’s beautiful. It’s quiet. It’s what happens after the "happily ever after" fails.
Actionable Next Steps for the Romance Cinephile
If you've finished The Idea of You and you're staring at your streaming queue wondering where to go next, don't just click on the first thing you see. Curate the vibe based on what you actually liked about the movie.
- For the "Fame" Fix: Start with Notting Hill (HBO Max) or Beyond the Lights (Netflix). These handle the paparazzi-induced anxiety the best.
- For the "Age-Gap" Heat: Watch How Stella Got Her Groove Back (Hulu) or A Family Affair (Netflix).
- For the "Sophisticated Woman" Vibe: Check out Gloria Bell or Begin Again.
- The "Deep Cut": Seek out The Graduate. It’s the classic "older woman, younger man" story, though it’s much more cynical than Hayes and Solène. It provides a great historical context for how these stories used to be told—usually as a warning rather than a romance.
The landscape of romantic cinema is changing. We are moving away from the "teen scream" era and into stories that acknowledge that life—and sex, and love—doesn't stop at thirty-five. Movies like The Idea of You are the vanguard of this shift. They remind us that the most interesting people in the room are often the ones who have lived enough to have something to talk about.
Go watch Beyond the Lights first. Trust me. It has the same heart, a better soundtrack, and an ending that feels earned rather than just convenient.
Expert Insight: When watching these films, pay attention to the color palettes. The Idea of You uses warm, golden tones to signify Solène's "awakening" in Europe. Compare this to the sterile, blue-ish tones of her life in the gallery before Hayes arrives. This visual storytelling is a hallmark of the genre—using light to show a character coming back to life.