“The Idea of You” Ending Explained: What Happens to Solène and Hayes?

'The Idea of You' starring Anne Hathaway and Nicholas Galitzine features an epilogue that differs from the book's ending

Note: This post contains spoilers for The Idea of You, now streaming on Prime Video. 

The Idea of You will have fans swooning until the very last scene.

Based on Robinne Lee’s book of the same name, the film has captivated audiences with its love story, particularly the chemistry between Anne Hathaway and Nicholas Galitzine.

The movie follows a 40-year-old mother named Solène (Hathaway) who is grappling with her identity following a messy divorce with her ex-husband. Things turn around for her as she takes her teenage daughter to Coachella and winds up forming a connection with one of the headliners, an international pop star named Hayes Campbell (Galitzine).

As they strike up a romance and jet set around the world together, Solène discovers a whole new side of herself in the process. Of course, their relationship isn’t without a few obstacles as Solène deals with the intrusive spotlight that comes with dating a celebrity as well as the scrutiny surrounding their age difference.

What exactly becomes of their love story? Here’s everything to know about that open-ended conclusion.

Related: The Idea of You: The Biggest Differences Between the Book and Movie Starring Anne Hathaway

Why do Solène and Hayes break up?

Though Solène and Hayes embark on an international love affair as she accompanies him on his worldwide tour, things eventually take a turn during a vacation in the South of France.

As Solène joins Hayes and his bandmates by the pool, she gushes about his romantic gesture at Coachella when he dedicated their song “Closer” to her. However, the sweet moment is interrupted as his bandmate Oliver lets it be known that they do that with all the girls they have crushes on — or in Hayes’s case — women, hinting that Solène isn’t the first older woman he's been with.

The revelation causes Solène and Hayes to get into an argument, during which she lies and says she doesn’t feel for him what he feels for her. After a brief time apart, they eventually reconnect when Solène realizes she truly cares for Hayes.

However, their honeymoon period is short-lived as the media learns of their romance and their relationship is blasted in the news. In addition to dealing with the intense scrutiny about their age gap, Solène also struggles to grapple with the huge spotlight on her life and her family. Solène hits a breaking point as the spotlight begins to affect her daughter Izzy.

As Solène picks up Hayes at the airport, she lets him know she can’t continue with their relationship as her daughter comes first. He later shows up at her house, where they share one final kiss. However, before they part ways, Hayes leaves his watch at her house, suggesting maybe they can reconnect in five years when Lizzy is done with school.

Related: The Idea of You Star Nicholas Galitzine Says 'I Distance Myself' from Harry Styles Comparison (Exclusive)

Where are Solène and Hayes five years later?

The film then flashes forward five years in the future, where Solène is still working at her art gallery and seemingly single. She is shown connecting with her daughter Izzy on Zoom, who appears to be living in Chicago.

One night, as she’s flipping through the channels on TV, she stumbles upon Hayes on The Graham Norton Show. Not only has Hayes matured, but he also appears to be a solo musician, playing the music he longed to earlier in the film.

As Hayes sings about a past love, Solène smiles at the TV longingly, suggesting she still has feelings for him. Following his performance, Hayes tells host Graham Norton that he’s taking a much-needed break from his touring, and even hints that he’ll be spending some time in Los Angeles to see someone.

Related: Nicholas Galitzine Recalls Meeting 'Radiant' Anne Hathaway at 'Daunting' Idea of You Audition (Exclusive)

Do Solène and Hayes end up together?

The next scene shows Solène returning to her art gallery, appearing to be on edge as she wonders if Hayes will show up. As she works in her office, she flinches as she hears the door jingle open and her assistant makes conversation with someone.

She abruptly leaves her office to find Hayes turning around. The two share a smile before the screen cuts to black. Though it’s unclear what happens next, it seems like the two might find their way back to each other in the end.

How does The Idea of You book end?

The ending is a major shift from the novel its based on, in which Hayes and Solène don’t get a happy ending. Similar to the film, Solène cuts things off with Hayes as their relationship puts too much of a strain on her daughter.

Solène even goes as far as to tell Hayes she never truly loved him, rather just the idea of him. Though they part ways, Hayes continues to text her in the months following, telling her he loves her and misses her, but Solène never replies. And that’s how the book ends: with their relationship coming to an end.

Why was The Idea of You ending changed?

The book’s ending has been incredibly controversial among fans, as many were heartbroken that Solène and Hayes didn’t end up together. Speaking with RadioTimes.com, director Michael Showalter noted that a big reason behind changing the ending was to give fans hope.

"I think, for me, it was more just as the filmmaker, and as a fan of romantic comedy and romantic movies, this felt like the kind of movie where we wanted to give the audience a hopeful ending," he said.

"We certainly could have ended the movie in a different way. But for this story, we felt like a more uplifting ending was what would be most satisfying for our audience,” Showalter continued. “And, ultimately, the audience is what matters most when making a movie like this."

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