Exclusive Interview
‘The Love Hypothesis’ Director Breaks Down the Major Change to the Movie’s Ending
What To Know
- The Love Hypothesis is a new Prime Video adaptation that’s based on Ali Hazelwood’s novel of the same name.
- Director Claire Scanlon spoke with Swooon about the movie’s ending, as well as the importance of Olive and Anh’s friendship.
- She revealed that author Ali Hazelwood was largely hands-off during the adaptation process.
While The Love Hypothesis is a love story between Olive (Lili Reinhart) and her fake boyfriend-turned-real love, Adam (Tom Bateman), director Claire Scanlon made it clear that a different relationship is at the heart of the adaptation: Olive and Anh’s (Rachel Marsh) friendship. (Warning: The Love Hypothesis spoilers ahead!)
The Love Hypothesis follows Olive Smith, a PhD student who finds herself studying chemistry through the art of fake dating. When she lies about seeing someone to convince her best friend that she is over their mutual crush, Jeremy (Nicholas Duvernay), she locks lips with Dr. Evil, a.k.a. Stanford’s most hated professor, Dr. Adam Carlsen, to seal the deal. As Jeremy and Anh get closer, Olive and Adam must keep up their act for the sake of her best friend’s love life.
Below, Scanlon reveals how much of a hand author Ali Hazelwood had in the adaptation, the story behind Olive’s voiceover, the reason behind some of the major book-to-screen changes, and more.
Swooon: How much did Ali Hazelwood have a hand in developing the script and casting?
Claire Scanlon: She really didn’t want to. I think she put it out into the world. She found an incredible producer in Elizabeth Cantillon, and she really trusted Elizabeth. I don’t know what Elizabeth did in that conversation that convinced Ali she was the one, but it must have been incredibly convincing because she was very hands-off.
She did read the script. I think there was something funny about Star Wars that we were like, we probably can’t say that because of copyright infringement. But even that, she appreciated. There was no negative feedback. She’s really someone who’s an advocate for everyone. We just got under her wing, and she now is an advocate for us, too.
Swooon: One thing we really loved about the adaptation is that it’s such a love story between Olive and Anh. Talk to me about establishing their connection before Olive and Adam’s kiss, which is a bit different from the book.
Scanlon: It’s totally different, and I think because it’s a cinematic medium, when you see Anh catch Olive kissing Dr. Evil, it’s really helpful in a cinema version to know the backstory. I think that first scene I did not want to mess with. The first scene is flawless and perfect in both versions, and it is the first scene in both versions. But I think in a book, once you get through that first scene, you’re in. But in a film, I think it was really important to know the backstory just a little bit before and add her voiceover, you know?
As a narrator in the book, you get to always know what’s going on in Olive’s head, but that’s not always the case in a movie. So we did have the device of having her talk to her mice a little bit, telling us what’s going on. I did feel strongly that for [her kissing Adam] to have the impact that it did, [you need] to understand that she was doing it out of loyalty for her found family and Anh. And then to get the rug pulled out from beneath her and think she’s getting kicked out of Stanford because the moment he says Title IX, she’s scared s**tless.
Swooon: Is the voiceover always Olive talking to her mice?
Scanlon: We did multiple versions. I think it’s up to the viewer’s discretion. Initially, that was the thinking, and then we were just like, maybe it’s more that we’re following her arc because there are no mice she’s talking to at the end of the movie. What I really love about the film is it starts with Olive and ends with Olive. As much as she’s lifted up by both her friends and ultimately Adam at the end, she’s truly — in life, we are technically all alone — and it’s her chutzpah, it’s her self-confidence that she garners over the course of everything that happens to her in the film that gets her to the place where she’s at the end.
Swooon: There’s such a fun and flirty dynamic between Lili Reinhart and Tom Bateman, which is so Olive and Adam. Were there any notable moments of improv from the actors during filming?
Scanlon: One thing that was surprising to me is how funny Tom is in real life. Lili talks about this all the time, too. He is nothing like Adam. He is a very good actor. They are polar opposites. So sometimes a look he would do was just unexpected. Yes, of course, we know Dr. Evil is cold, but the coffee date was just really fun and silly. Watching him embody that was just really delightful.
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To me, the best comedy is playing reactions. When we worked in that coffee shop, I was going hard after all the people in the room. Like, “Ew, who is that guy? He’s so mean. He’s the worst professor. He’s always giving you a hard time. He failed your friend.” Because the background actors don’t necessarily know the context of the whole script. It was really fun how hard they looked at him, and it just enhanced everything and made him funnier. It’s just wonderful when you know you have that sweet, delicious awkwardness. Seeing that, knowing that, was really fun.
Swooon: There were some notable changes to the ending from the book. The adaptation cuts Holden and increases Anh’s role in the ending, so I’d love to talk about how she knew they were fake dating the whole time.
Scanlon: Sarah Rothschild did such a wonderful adaptation, paying homage to such wonderful moments. For instance, the sunscreen moment, the kiss, the unicorn socks — everything was so very much on point. [In a movie,] you can’t have everything in the book in there. I love the female-forward change.
Also, in the book, it’s Malcolm who knows they’re fake dating, but what I loved about the Anh reveal is you don’t see that coming. I didn’t when I was reading the script; I was like, “Oh, whoa! They didn’t pull the wool over her eyes.” And she’s like, “Come on, man! I’m a scientist. It’s literally my job to observe.” Anh’s not telling her, “I know this is bulls**t, but you guys are cute and awkward together. Maybe if you kept pretending, it would become real,” and it did. Hopefully it gave you a warm, fuzzy feeling. And when she says, “Who cares what those guys are gonna do? What’s Olive Smith gonna do?” I feel like it’s a charging chant into the world. Like, “Go get him, Olive!”
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Swooon: And then, Anh’s also the one who tells Adam about Tom harassing Olive. Walk me through that.
Scanlon: She loves Adam, and she loves her friend. That’s why she says, “Did you know? Did he tell you?” And he’s like, “No, what? What are you talking about?” He’s a good guy, so she makes the decision [to tell him], and that’s why he says, “You’re such a good friend.”
The Love Hypothesis, Streaming Now, Prime Video
