The Hating Game premiered in 2021 as a romantic comedy film based on a best-selling novel by Sally Thorne published in 2016. The film was directed by Peter Hutchings who portrays the ‘will-they-won’t-they’ tension of two characters who over time transform from competitors into emotionally supportive partners.
The film portrays the contemporary setting of a publishing house. Lucy Hutton, one of the main characters, along with Joshua “Josh” Templeman, her colleague, are executive assistants to competing departments. Daily “office wars” filled with dry humor, conflict, and mock victories characterize their relationship. However, amidst their promotion struggles and personal insecurities, their hearts begin to intertwine.
Plot Overview
Our protagonist, Lucy, is described bright, bubbly and perpetually optimistic. She wears color, and her laughter has been described as coming at the wrong time and loud. She enjoys quirky details. In stark contrast is the character Joshua “Josh” Templeman. Cold, stoic, and very critical, he is Lucy’s exact opposite. His wardrobe consists strictly of black suits. He is highly productive and very precise.
Their assistants compete for the same managerial position and currently assist the co-CEOs at Bexley & Gamin, which heightens the competition. Shipments of office supplies share a backend portal with the company’s shipping system, and within minutes, orders can vanish into a black hole. In a turning of the tide attempt, Lucy ensures that Josh’s rolled-up posters are hidden from his line of vision—literally. Josh’s refusal of aid when Lucy’s monogrammed sweater is caught in his chair continues the cycle. While the occurrences may seem trivial at best, both of them work to make the other’s life more difficult.
With a company’s conference coming up in Savannah and the edit break around the corner, they know that those bubbles serve no constructive purpose for their creativity anymore. Coffee orders should be taken before mercury retrogrades commence—as they symbolize a total roadblock to any traveling, including flights, which are already subjected to rules imposed on caffeine; and amends/last minute due to gas stations. In a way, tension sparks and chaos reigns, fastening the freedom they felt during their emotional release.
The poignant sharing strengthens the mutual bond and breeds understanding of filled gaps through contrasting, hidden layers. In doing so, their perception of each other shifts from rivalry into respectful attraction.
At the climactic moment of the story, during the awarding ceremony for the CEO assistant role, Josh receives the promotion. Angry but unnoticed, Lucy lashes out. This makes sense as to why Josh realizes the emotional and professional risks he has taken. On Christmas Eve, he shows up at a holiday party proclaiming his love and that he is willing to quit the job—if it’s what Lucy wants. To his surprise, she does want him. Their transformation from foes to lovers is epitomized by a deep kiss in the snow as the credits roll.
Key Characters and Performances
Lucy Hale: Hale makes the role entirely her own—endearing, quirky, and unapologetically herself. Her vibrant dresses and infectious laughter alongside her heartfelt performances form the backbone of the whimsically romantic and comedic world in which the film is set.
Austin Stowell: Stowell delivers a quietly powerful performance of a disciplined and controlled man. His character arc from stoic businessman to emotionally open partner is fascinating. His stillness conveys storms beneath.
Co-CEOs and Minor Characters: Their collective contribution helps create an authentic corporate environment including pep talks, gossip sessions, and tangential discussions about promotions that allow the chemistry between Lucy and Josh to flourish. Supported by Gavin Stenhouse, Nicholas Barasch, Kelcey Mawema, Corbin Reid, and others.
Direction, Style, and Aesthetic
Director Peter Hutchings interprets the novel’s distinct voice with a splash of cinematic elegance. Modern office interiors with glass walls, exposed brick casual workspaces, and open offices serve as contemporary corporate structures. With Josh, we see scenes dominated by hues of grey and blue, while Lucy’s presence brightens the world with pastel colors.
Cinematography highlights emotionally charged close-ups: strangers separated only by desks with heated exchanges, amplifying the sexual tension. The warm light during Savannah trips paired with the southern backdrop signals southern thawing, emotionally and physically. In contrast, New York holiday scenes overflow with Christmas lights bursting, creating joyous yet tension-laden atmosphere.
Themes
Enemies-to-Lovers Romance
A central trope executed effortlessly. The slow burn, hate-to-love progression focuses on vignettes, snapshots in time—barely contained breakfast sabotage conflict, mutual rescue, and secret glances, each moment approaching an emotional tipping point.
Workplace Culture and Identity
The film attacks America’s corporate obsession while showing how people enslave identity to ambition. Lucy uniquely fears her secretly. Josh fears failure. Their support fosters authenticity rather than deception—capable masquerades.
Emotional Vulnerability vs Control
Balance control and expression proves challenging for both characters. Lucy’s taboo soft side and warm glimpses of Josh drive plot and relationship progression.
Being Genuine and Being Authentic in Social Media
Momentous occasions and celebration-filled periods are often recorded on social media by vlogs and blogs, but Lucy’s blog reflects an illuminating feature of everyday life through the lens of absurdity. The film also discusses how authenticity can be a beneficial trait, romantic in nature, when put to use in the right context, and how it remains effective in the middle of a dualistic and deceptive facade world.
The Score: Contemporary Indie Pop and Its Mood Function
Indie and pop contemporary songs fill the film along with holiday infused soundtracks. They complement the moods of Lucy and Josh. Lucy’s optimism is showcased through her wish full songs while Josh’s introspection is demonstrated through his Thursday theme songs. Alongside them, songs play to accentate moments such as cappuccino spills and hallway walks. Capes and holiday themes acts also mentions decorative exclamation marks when playing during the last two scenes of christmas eve.
Public Relations and Communication
Reviews on the hating game varied for the most part stating critic reasoning from both ends.
Praise: Style mixed line reviews were based off of Lucy Hale & Austin Stowell, with great headline acts to romance and laughter and chemistry filled praise to their voicing romantic pairings. Reviewers applauded the witty dialogue striking romance lovers inline. In addition to love and humor we see movies filled with romance obstacles, emblems of seduction and magic and as a cherry on the top, holidays too.
Criticism: Casual readers found their fault nested in the use of cliche tropes and sluggish narratives due to pacing during and intermissions or exits more like side character detours. But ommited in favor of the novel, some claimed disagree to boosters or tarellazers.
With that being said, genre lovers alongside fans were quick to defend their beguilement claiming streaming from winter time romance and feel good where it counts snowed the mood.
Box Office Success and Cultural Impact
The film’s popularity soared with audiences when it premiered in February 2022, both in select theaters and on streaming platforms. Throughout 2023, it continued to enjoy high viewership on digital platforms and is often considered a go-to holiday watch among fans of the genre.
The adaptation brought Sally Thorne’s book series back into the limelight. Readers appreciated the visualization of Savannah and the Christmas intimacy alongside the devotion to scenes and dialogues from the book.
Final Considerations
The Hating Game serves as an example of a romantic comedy franchise done right; the film achieves all the easy indulgences and the forthright chemistry rom-com fans expect through moderate expectations. What makes the film unique stems from two essential elements:
The captivating charge brought forth by the triumphant duet—is a “highlight,” whether it be the office conflict or passionate kisses—can only be delivered through skilled entertainers.
With regard to the genre, the character-driven emotional developments do not include gimmicks – Lucy’s giddy radiance and Josh’s increasing vulnerability.
While rom-coms in the “enemies to lovers” sub-genre have become tiresome, Lucy Hale and Austin Stowell breathe new energy into the film, enhanced emotional depth, and charming internal attraction set against the backdrop of winter holiday vibes.
The Hating Game affirms that love does not have to start with grand gestures. In fact, the best beginning can be a snowball fight between rivals.
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