The author of The Idea of You, Robinne Lee, has openly shared her true thoughts on the ending of the movie adaptation.
The Idea of You has many similarities to its book source material; however, their endings differ significantly.
Both narratives center around Solène Marchand, an art gallery owner, who embarks on a whirlwind romance with Hayes Campbell, the leader of a boy band. The story explores the challenges that arise from their age difference and differing lifestyles, and how it impacts their relationship.
Although Lee’s book portrayed a realistic and tragic ending for the couple, director Michael Showalter opted for a more optimistic conclusion in the film adaptation. The author has since shared her thoughts on the significant alteration made to her work.
“When asked about the differences between the book and the movie adaptation, Lee expressed to Entertainment Weekly, “The book is its own entity, and the movie is its own. As an author, you have to trust the filmmakers and not be too attached to your own creation. Film is a different medium and adaptations can be challenging because books allow for more internalized thoughts of characters, which can be difficult to translate on screen. So, changes are inevitable.”
In America, Hollywood tends to add happy endings to everything they produce. As a writer, you hope that they will stay true to your original vision, but you also have to consider the commercial success and the preferences of the audience. While there is a significant overlap between readers and movie viewers, a film’s targeted audience may have different expectations. Perhaps American viewers may not be receptive to a sad ending at this time.
Lee clarified that although many moviegoers prefer to leave a film feeling happy, her personal preference is the complete opposite. She expressed her love for crying and recalled how she cried for three days straight after watching the successful film Titanic. In fact, she saw it in theaters four times because she enjoys the experience of crying. She even mentioned that her book is a testament to her love for crying and how it makes her feel truly alive.
Lee concluded The Idea of You by depicting Solène and Hayes’ relationship coming to an end, as her teenage daughter continues to struggle with the fame and attention that came with Hayes. Despite his attempts to contact her, the two never speak again.
Despite breaking up for the same reason in the movie, the couple eventually reconnects five years later after Solène has completed her studies.
Despite Showalter’s open desire to leave viewers with a happy ending, it appears that Lee disagrees with the way the couple’s future was depicted, as it did not align with his own vision for the film.
“Lee expressed, “The story I intended to convey was not the one I just shared. My goal was to highlight the tendency of women to prioritize the happiness of others over their own. I aimed to create a sense of reading someone’s personal diary, where the events were based on real experiences. The protagonist became entangled in a destructive role and romance, jeopardizing everything in her life, until she ultimately had to release it.”
Despite having differing opinions on the ending of Solène and Hayes’ story, Lee did express her excitement to meet with Showalter and thoroughly discuss the changes.
The film The Idea of You is currently available for streaming on Prime Video. Viewers can listen to the movie’s soundtrack and discover if the story was inspired by true events.
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