The Hating Game is a romantic comedy film that was released in 2021, directed by Peter Hutchings, featuring Lucy Hale and Austin Stowell, and was based on a novel by Sally Thorne. Lucy Hale and Austin Stowell play the roles of Lucy and Joshua, respectively, who are co-workers and later turned rivals. The film depicts their evolving office romance relationship filled with witty exchanges, sexual tension, and emotional development.
The film The Hating Game may follow typical rom-com themes, but it is able to capture viewers with the use of its classic enemies-to-lovers approach, sharp dialogue and its witty and lively lead characters. The story is told through the lens of deep lead character development, which in combination with their fiery chemistry, sets this office rom-com apart from the genre’s overused tropes.
Plot Summary
As a character in the movie, Lucy Hale has a persona of an eccentric but a warm and hardworking book reader in a publishing firm. In addition, Hutton believes that she is cheerful in the eyes of her co-workers, earning their goodwill. Hutton’s workplace rival is Joshua Templeman, a tall, grumpy, and stern man who sits in the same office as her, but works from a different department.
The two are executive assistants to co-CEOs of a newly merged publishing house: Lucy is under Helene Bexley, while Joshua is under Anthony Templeman. Their merger forces the two to work side by side, which creates hilarious and intense rivalry driven by competition. From trying to outdo each other to fierce clashes over productivity, Joshua and Lucy are two work colleagues who delight in their mutual animosity.
Joshua and Lucy’s rivalry hits an all-time high when they both compete for the same promo position. Their clashes escalate to a whole new level. Although Lucy and Joshua hate each other, little does she know that Joshua’s inner side is soft, caring, and protective.
Joshua and Lucy blur the lines between hate and desire. Realigning a couple of their office boundaries, their romantic weekend at the wedding of Joshua’s brother means facing their feelings. Their office psychological battle morphs into a simmering infatuation that runs obstructions under the craving for surrendering to their boundaries, and both confronting the fears of being vulnerable.Characters and Performances
Lucy Hale as Lucy Hutton: We see Hale spark to life as the cheerfully optimistic Lucy. Hale highlights the character’s intelligence and charm, as well as her emotional fragility. Hale humanizes Lucy’s sunny disposition and complements her charm to balance the warmth with emotional resonance without reducing her to being a one-dimensional character. She delivers and maintains the comedic rhythm for the office prank battles and the emotional moments seamlessly.
Austin Stowell as Joshua Templeman: Stowell plays Joshua with a quiet intensity that beautifully balances Hale’s vivacity. Cold, unreadable, and distant, his character slowly opens up to show a more introspective and deeply insecure side. Stowell’s performance makes Joshua’s aloofness understandable, framing it as a protective strategy rather than arrogant. This makes the character’s eventual change much more satisfying.
Supporting Cast: Included in the small supporting cast are Lucy’s best friend, and the overbearing CEOs. These characters add more depth to the corporate environment that serves as a backdrop to the main relationship.
By far, the best thing about the film is the chemistry between Hale and Stowell. Their back-and-forth banter is humorously flirtatious, and the way they gaze at each other is filled with intensity. This makes their so-called journey from enemies to lovers feel not only electric, but well earned.
Themes and Interpretation
Enemies-to-Lovers
At the core of the film is the well-loved enemies-to-lovers trope. In this case though, The Hating Game uses it in a way that is much more emotionally rich than one would expect. The hatred that Lucy and Joshua share stems from misunderstandings, unspoken admiration, personal insecurities, and more. The film does not lean solely on banter; it reveals the reasons behind characters’ actions by peeling back the many layers of their emotions.
Workplace Pressure and Ambition
The setting of the office adds another element of stress, making the characters slightly more erratic. Both of these characters are driven, and the need to achieve often forces them to suppress their emotional vulnerabilities. The film does showcase the reality of toxic corporate cultures and the need to overperform with unnaturally high competition, and its impacts which can alternately be constructive and destructive.
Vulnerability and Self Worth
Lucy and Joshua, as the story deepens, are revealed to be emotionally scarred. Lucy feels like she is unlovable or unwanted, and Joshua carries a fear of abandonment alongside a frigid upbringing. The journey of these two towards love can be described as not “winning” the opposite person, but being brave enough to be vulnerably naked to judgement.
Direction and Style
In this film, Peter Hutchings does not make use of heavy handed methods; rather, he highlights character conversations and their feelings. Throughout the film, the tone is maintained as light and playful but also romantic and tender. In addition to the narrative, the film’s visuals also warm color schemes during the office scenes and gentle lighting during the romantic moments soft highlight the characters emotions to the audience.
The film’s brisk pacing, coupled with a runtime of 102 minutes, ensures the story is engaging and never overstays its welcome. Intimate but brisk scenes, like the elevator kiss, the paintball challenge, and the wedding getaway, place the viewer within the characters’ lives instead of outside of the world.
Comparison to the Novel
The film adapts the novel written by Sally Thorne and does a wonderful job capturing the book’s tone and sprit. Major plot points of the story remain unchanged, but fans of the book might not appreciate the altered character details and subplots. Regardless of these details, the portrayal of the characters in the film is sure to delight fans of the book.
The film strikes a balance between a faithful adaptation and a standalone romantic comedy—and it achieves this balance for the most part. For viewers unfamiliar with the book, the movie stands on its own.
Reception and Audience Response
The Hating Game garnered mostly positive feedback from viewers, especially fans of romance. Although some reviewers pointed out the film’s adherence to genre conventions, most agreed that the leads’ performances and chemistry brought the movie above the rest of its formulaic romantic comedy peers.
It became a favorite on streaming services, especially for those seeking a lighthearted and emotionally resonant romantic film. Additionally, the movie introduced a new audience to the book, raising its profile in the romance fiction genre.
Conclusion
The Hating Game offers a vibrant and playful take on the romantic comedy genre The focus on storyline and character dynamics is refreshing, emotionally resonant, and grounded, buoyed further by two exceptionally charming leads. The film deftly captures the allure of romantic conflict while also celebrating the indulging the tender stillness of emotional truth.
The film offers escapist pleasure and entertaining story with a blend of humor and deep feelings thanks to sharp conversations and unforgettable moments. It will definitely be appealing to book fans and romance lovers alike, because The Hating Game would give a viewer a delightful and fulfilling experience.
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