THE HATING GAME: An Easy Breezy Rom-Com With Heart

It’s hard to find a good rom-com these days. Where Happiest Season had the strength to warm our hearts last Christmas, too often others collapse to the pitfalls of romantic cliches and unrealistic expectations. While it does contain its flaws along the way, Peter Hutchings‘ The Hating Game is a welcomed surprise. And though it may lean into the formulaic methods of the classic rom-com, it has just enough variety and heart to not only entertain, but to leave its audience with the cozy “warm and fuzzies” in its wake.

Guns Drawn

Lucy (Lucy Hale) is trapped in her own version of hell, employed by a company she has poured her heart and soul into, but partnered with a maniacal archenemy. Following the merger of dueling publishing companies Hamlin and Bexley, lines are drawn in the sand for all – but especially for Lucy and Josh  (Austin Stowell). From the moment he was hired, Josh’s presence and actions have led Lucy to form immense hate for her partner, whose office space she also shares.

As Lucy reveals to the audience, through a montage of time and antics, she hates Josh. He never smiles, he is a control freak, corrects every tiny mistake, and fired all her work friends. It is in this opening that The Hating Game truly excels in captivating its audience and establishing the tension between these two rivals. Toggling between a current “game” of copycat and its montage, you feel the fire that fuels their rivalry, as well as equally question whether this is real hate at all.

While many rom-coms take the time to introduce their leading characters separately, The Hating Game opens on Lucy and Josh, their desks facing one another, a visual separation between them. It does not take the time to introduce them one by one or give a hint of quirks, rather diving into the tension that is their driving force. A tension that is compounded as the publishing company announces a new management position they each decide to apply for.

Love or indifference

The Hating Game leans into the romantic cliches of the “will they or won’t they”, but it plays with our knowledge of rom-coms as well. As their rivalry “threatens” to become something more, we as knowledgeable viewers find ourselves unable to trust the narrative playing out on screen, unable to accept the truth in front of us. It gives a parallel to the trust our characters are unable to grasp and retain throughout the film. As they navigate, so too, do we.

And while it threatens to lose the hold it has on its audience, the approach becomes refreshing and almost more cathartically authentic in its cinematic and emotional journey. We know where the story will take us and what the “happy ever after” might look like, but do we really? It forces us to question our trained expectations of a rom-com, while also delivering the type of film we have come to see.

Conclusion: The Hating Game

This is not to say The Hating Game doesn’t have its flaws. It does run a bit long, calling for a bit more tightening in its editing. There are moments too that fall to the “unbelievable”, but that is easily overlooked and forgiven as the film continually delivers on its promise. And while the performances do not stand out, there is an uniquely awkward chemistry between Hale and Stowell that works here – even when it feels as though it shouldn’t.

The Hating Game may not be the perfect rom-com, but it entertains like classics of the past, delivering on what it promises and perfect for rewatches. And if you are looking for a new movie soundtrack to rock out too, The Hating Game is here to deliver.

Have you seen The Hating Game? What did you think? Let us know in the comments below!

The Hating Game will be in theaters and VOD on December 10, 2021!

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