Old School. Biblically Independent.
By Mae Abdulbaki | Film | September 29, 2026
It’s nice to see the romantic comedy genre thriving (on streaming and on the big screen, but mostly on the former). It’s even better when the movie is based on a beloved book. Enter The Love Hypothesis, Prime Video’s latest rom-com entry. There’s a lot to like about this movie: it’s breezy and lighthearted, with snappy and funny dialogue, good character relationships, and enough heat between the main couple to keep the spark alive. Directed by Claire Scanlon and based on the book by Ali Hazelwood, The Love Hypothesis utilizes the fake dating trope and gives it a nice update, ending on a predictably happy note while taking a few nice turns along the way.
Olive Smith (Riverdale’s Lili Reinhart) is a PhD student at Stanford University who’s determined to make progress in the research for pancreatic cancer. She has a crush on Jeremy (Nicholas Duvernay), but when she realizes he likes her best friend, Anh (Rachel Marsh), Olive makes a deal with Dr. Adam Carlsen (Tom Bateman) — known to his research students only as “Dr. Evil” — to convince Anh she’s no longer interested in Jeremy. She takes herself out of the equation because she knows Anh would never date him otherwise. Adam is stiff and awkward, but he believes that being seen with a girlfriend (and he and Olive can date since they’re not in the same department; he definitely checked) would show that he has an attachment, which would lead to the renewal of his research grant.
It’s a situation where everyone ultimately wins, but Olive and Adam learn a lot about each other, gaining confidence in love and their abilities. It’s a simple story on the surface, but there’s a lot going on an emotional level. To start, Olive and Adam are well-rounded characters, and the supporting cast — especially Marsh as Anh — also feels like real people. They round out a group of characters who raise the stakes of Olive and Adam’s fake-to-real romance and give the story a very lived-in feeling, one that also fleshes out the world of academia.
The dialogue can be whip-smart, and the jokes had me laughing out loud more often than not. So often, romantic comedies are either light on the comedy or it’s entirely non-existent. The Love Hypothesis, credit to screenwriter Sarah Rothschild, is very effective in its humor. It’s very specific, sometimes heavy on science puns, but in an endearingly charming way. It has a balanced story and avoids becoming too sappy. Really, the biggest thing the film needed a bit more of was Olive and Anh’s friendship, which proved to be the film’s true grounding point. Regardless, the film understands its genre while also offering something refreshing.
The cast’s admirable performances add to the film’s charisma. Reinhart is in her element as Olive. She exudes intelligence but is also gentle and kind to her friends. Her struggles don’t shrink her, and Reinhart brings a richness to her performance that keeps us watching. Through her character, the film bypasses the stereotype of two women fighting to win a man’s affections, which is always nice to see. Bateman is aloof as Adam, and his body language is so awkward at first that it’s easy to buy how much he hates hanging around people in general. His sarcasm is disarming, and the actor walks a fine line between being a complete asshole to someone who is clearly guarded. The rest of the cast is excellent, with Marsh being a true scene-stealer. Her line delivery is perfection, and she delivers some of the film’s best and funniest moments.
I haven’t read the book so I can’t speak about any comparisons or big changes, but as a film, The Love Hypothesis definitely soars. It’s a rom-com I would rewatch in a heartbeat. It’s sweet and funny, with excellent character dynamics that underscore a layered story. Between this film and Off Campus, Prime Video has been releasing some thoughtful and watchable romances recently and I’m here for it.
The Love Hypothesis is now playing on Prime Video.
