The Hating Game

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Back in 2021, when “The Hating Game” was released, I expressed my thoughts on Letterboxd, lamenting that the rom-com genre seems to have vanished, striking a chord deep within me. Since then, I’ve been yearning for its resurgence on the big screen, but alas, no luck so far. Interestingly enough, “The Hating Game” has made an impressive comeback in pop culture, debuting on Netflix and swiftly climbing into the top 10 listings.

Oh dear, unfortunately, The Hating Game falls short in both romance and humor. In my opinion, stories like The Hating Game are diluting a once cherished genre by becoming overly stereotypical and almost unbearable to watch.

What Is ‘The Hating Game’ About?

In the novel titled “The Hating Game“, penned by Sally Thorne, we delve into the tumultuous and passion-filled relationship between Lucy and Josh, portrayed by Austin Stowell. These two contrasting personalities find themselves working together due to a compulsory merger of the publishing companies they serve, each embodying opposing philosophies. Frequently, their antics at work lead to HR complaints, as they engage in heated arguments and playful pranks.

The tension reaches its peak when a promotion opportunity arises at their workplace. With Lucy and Josh both aiming for this position, they decide on an unconventional solution: whichever one gets the promotion will remain employed, while the other must resign. Consequently, they engage in underhanded tactics against each other until an unexpected passionate kiss takes place in the company elevator. This moment triggers a shift, and Lucy and Josh are left questioning whether the animosity they harbor towards one another is truly enmity or if it conceals deeper emotions.

Hating ‘The Hating Game’

I had the pleasure of diving into “The Hating Game” novel long before its cinematic adaptation graced our screens. This was during my adventurous youth, a time when such escapades were commonplace for me and still remain so today. To cut a long story short, let me tell you that the book version of “The Hating Game” exudes more allure than its screen counterpart could manage.

Now, there are several aspects of this movie that leave me scratching my head, but chief among them is the lack of chemistry between the leads. In a love story where audience support for the couple is crucial, it’s challenging to overlook this issue. You see, when you’re reading, it’s effortless to imagine the chemistry; it just seems to leap off the pages.

The storyline of The Hating Game is predictable and follows conventional tropes, but it often succeeds. It features a brooding man and a strong female character who dislike each other intensely. There’s a hint of a love triangle, some emotional revelations about their pasts, they eventually kiss, and the story wraps up neatly in just 90 minutes. However, this film fails to capture the fun aspect, the characters seem to genuinely despise each other, and it runs unnecessarily long. Additionally, the entire production appears dimly lit with a corporate gray tone, making it feel like you’re watching an office setting even when they’re not at work.

The movie “The Hating Game” seems to lack that special something, it feels more like an ordinary, uninspired tale rather than one filled with excitement or emotion. It appears as if the story was hurriedly thrown together without giving it much thought or passion, which is disappointing for a film marketed towards women. It’s important that these types of movies represent us well and provide something more captivating than this bland portrayal.

“The Hating Game” seems dull instead of being entertaining or passionate. It feels like the story was quickly made without much thought or enthusiasm, which is not what we expect from a movie for women. We need better representation and more excitement in these types of films!

What Is Going on With Rom-Coms?

Recently, I can’t seem to recall an outstanding romantic comedy that has graced our screens as in the days of Nora Ephron and Garry Marshall. It appears we are heading towards more of…this. While some recent productions like “Palm Springs”, “Red, White, and Royal Blue”, and even Netflix’s “Set It Up” have shown promise, for the most part, there has been a lot of striking out in the genre.

As a passionate movie enthusiast, I’ve been left scratching my head over the seemingly endless stream of similar romantic comedies. It seems that formulaic productions like “The Hating Game” are monopolizing our screens, leaving little room for fresh, original content in this genre. This trend is not only stifling creativity but also potentially hindering the production of higher-quality romantic comedies. It’s high time we demand more from our storytellers and break free from this predictable pattern!

This movie, “The Hating Game,” symbolizes the flaws in today’s streaming era and the excessive amount of content being produced. It’s sloppy, it’s devoid of life, and it’s essentially just a copycat. As a means to escape reality, it serves its purpose, but as a film, it makes me boil with anger. I detest you, “The Hating Game”! There won’t be any transformation from enemies to lovers for us in the near future.

The Hating Game is now streaming on Netflix.

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2025-04-26 23:02