However, it’s her vulnerability that makes her truly shine. When sharing the details of her separation, or when grappling between her desire to be a good mother and a care-free girlfriend – these moments are what separate The Idea of You from more surface-level rom-coms (think Netflix’s Your Place or Mine or Holidate), those that are predominantly designed for gags rather than meaning.

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Emotionally and ethically complex dilemmas lie at the heart of this story: the hypocrisy behind demonising a woman for dating a younger man while men dating younger women is generally normalised; generational disconnects; the trauma of divorce and “re-starting” life at middle-age. Yet while the movie broaches these ideas, it ultimately settles for the more comfortable and less cerebral space that has come to define rom-coms in the streaming era.

“Did I not warn you? People hate happy women,” Solène’s friend says at one point. It’s an apt observation, but the scene simply cuts immediately afterwards, leaving viewers no time to process the heft of such a statement. Points for trying, though.

Maybe that’s the point of rom-coms. They can allude to more profound issues, but never dive in. Ultimately, the film is a fantasy – just like Notting Hill. We turn to the genre for escapism, for comfort, for a feeling of the familiar. It’s nice to think about things, but not too hard. That risks snapping us out of the reverie.

In finding that balance The Idea of You has hit a sweet spot between quality, intelligence and fantasy that audiences are clearly craving in an era of overwhelming mediocrity.

The Idea of You is available to stream on Amazon Prime.

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