The Love Hypothesis

A closer look at the story

Olive Smith is a doctoral student in biology. She has her own carefully worked-out theories about love. One day, though, everything changes when she gives in to a sudden impulse and kisses Dr. Adam Carlsen, the most feared figure in her department. Adam is a brilliant professor known for his harsh manner, someone students tend to steer clear of. That unexpected kiss marks the start of a pretend romance that each of them needs for reasons of their own. What first looks like a convenient arrangement gradually becomes an experiment that puts their chemistry to the test. As the two scientists' carefully constructed theories about love collapse one after another, the boundaries of their fake relationship grow increasingly blurred. Adapted from Ali Hazelwood's novel, directed by Claire Scanlon and scripted by Sarah Rothschild, this 112-minute 2026 romantic comedy stars Lili Reinhart and Tom Bateman.