I watched Prime Video’s new romantic comedy movie — and I think the logic mostly checks out

Lili Reinhart as Olive Smith and Tom Bateman as Professor Adam Carlsen in "The Love Hypothesis" on Prime Video — (Image credit: Prime Video)

Yearning, fake relationships and getting the gruff, reserved man to finally open up are practically the holy trinity of romance right now. As someone who is an absolute sucker for this type of story, I was naturally drawn to Prime Video’s new rom-com “The Love Hypothesis.” Based on Ali Hazelwood’s bestselling novel, the movie has all the ingredients I look for in a good romance, from the forced proximity to the slow-burn tension. The question is whether it actually manages to deliver on all that romantic potential.

Tom's Guide Verdict: 'The Love Hypothesis'

Rating: 3/5 stars
Verdict: “The Love Hypothesis” is a charming, easy-to-watch rom-com with plenty of chemistry and yearning. While the fake dating setup feels forced at times and some of the logic doesn’t quite add up, Lili Reinhart and Tom Bateman make this a fun, feel-good romance.
Where to watch: "The Love Hypothesis" is streaming on Prime Video

“The Love Hypothesis” centers around Olive (Lili Reinhart), a PhD candidate who impulsively kisses intimidating professor Adam Carlsen (Tom Bateman) to convince her best friend she has moved on from her crush. What starts as a fake relationship quickly becomes complicated as their planned arrangement makes it harder to separate what’s pretend from what’s real. As you can tell, it’s a fairly simple premise, but the movie also puts a fair amount of emphasis on friendship and how women are treated in the academic world.

Prime Video is certainly no stranger to pumping out romance flicks, and I have to admit, I’m pretty much the target audience for a movie built around yearning, fake dating and a slightly different take on love. Throw in a world of science, a grumpy professor who slowly lets his guard down and plenty of romantic tension, and you’ve got my attention. Whether “The Love Hypothesis” can turn all of those familiar ingredients into something that really works is another question, but I was more than ready to put this particular hypothesis to the test.

‘The Love Hypothesis’ is a formula I can get behind

“The Love Hypothesis” gets off to a fun start, with Olive unknowingly meeting Adam for the first time when she can barely see him because her contact lenses have expired. Two years later, they cross paths again under very different circumstances, when Olive impulsively kisses the intimidating professor to convince her best friend Anh that she has finally moved on from her crush, Jeremy.

The Love Hypothesis - Official Trailer | Prime Video - YouTube

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I liked that the movie takes time to establish Olive and Anh’s friendship, which feels much more like a sisterhood, and it’s clear that Olive genuinely wants her best friend to be happy, even if that means putting her own feelings aside.

This is also where the setup starts to lose me slightly, because Olive and Jeremy barely interact enough for us to understand why she likes him so much that she would go to the lengths of faking a relationship. It makes the fake dating premise feel a little forced. Adam’s motivation is a little more convincing, as he agrees to the arrangement to make the board believe he is putting down roots in California so they will release funding for his research (although I did find myself wondering about the rules surrounding professors dating students). Putting those questions aside, the film is charming enough to keep you invested in seeing where these two characters end up.

Nicholas Duvernay as Jeremy Langley, Rachel Marsh as Anh Pham, and Jaboukie Young-White as Malcolm in "The Love Hypothesis" on Prime Video — (Image credit: Prime Video)

Naturally, the premise gives Olive and Adam the classic slow burn, as they try their best to act like a convincing couple while, ironically, becoming closer in the process. There’s something genuinely charming about watching Adam gradually soften too, particularly when we see him become a little kinder and less harsh towards his students. Thankfully, Lili Reinhart and Tom Bateman have the chemistry needed to carry this kind of story, making their growing connection feel believable even when the plot occasionally relies on familiar rom-com beats.

There’s also a more serious thread running through the film surrounding Olive’s unfair treatment within academia and her determination to get her research on early detection methods for pancreatic cancer taken seriously. Her motivation is deeply personal, which gives her ambitions more meaning, and the film presents the obstacles she faces in a thoughtful way. It helps give Olive more to care about beyond simply getting the guy, while also adding some much-needed substance to what could otherwise have been a fairly straightforward romance.

Verdict: ‘The Love Hypothesis’ is a fun romance with a few bumps along the way

Tom Bateman as Dr. Adam Carlsen and Lili Reinhart as Olive in "The Love Hypothesis" on Prime Video — (Image credit: Prime Video)

Overall, “The Love Hypothesis” is a charming, funny and incredibly easy watch, which, honestly, is all I really need from a rom-com. While the fake dating premise doesn’t feel quite as punchy as it could have been and Olive’s motivations aren’t always the most convincing, it’s difficult not to be won over by the trope, particularly when Lili Reinhart and Tom Bateman have such good chemistry.

The film gets the major romantic moments across, but it does compress some of the anticipation and emotional escalation that made the novel so enjoyable. There’s definitely yearning here, but hardcore romance fans might find themselves wanting a little more of it. Still, this is absolutely worth putting on for an easy evening watch, and I wouldn’t be surprised to see it sitting at No. 1 on Prime Video over the weekend.

"The Love Hypothesis" is streaming on Prime Video

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Alix is a Senior Streaming Writer at Tom’s Guide, which basically means watching the best movies and TV shows and then writing about them. It’s a dream job for someone who’s been obsessed with storytelling since she first figured out how to work a remote.

Before joining Tom’s Guide, Alix honed her skills as a staff writer with outlets like Screen Rant and Bough Digital, where she discovered her love for the entertainment industry.

She heads to the cinema every week as a tradition, no matter what’s showing. For her, movies aren’t just entertainment — they’re a ritual, a comfort, and a constant source of inspiration. When she’s not at her desk or at the cinema, you’ll probably find her deep into a horror video game on her PC.