THE HATING GAME

US, 2021, 12 minutes, Colour.

Lucy Hale, Austin Stowell, Damon Daunno, Sakina Jaffrey, Corbin Bernsen,

Directed by Peter Hutchings.

Hate at first sight! Love and hate – and the whole damn thing! And with the business setting, perhaps, Hates Labours Lost! But, continuing with the Shakespeare allusion and listening to the two characters, methinks they do protest too much.

We are introduced to Lucy (Lucy Hale) in the office, sitting directly across from Jonathan (Austin Stowell), and you could cut the air with a knife. And, silently, they mimic everything that the other is doing. Not exactly the best beginning for a romcom.

Lucy and Jonathan are in their 30s, more or less. Which means that this is very much a film for 30 somethings, mirroring what might be happening in their own lives (or, if not in their own lives, in the lives of their friends). For audiences who are twentysomethings, they may not identify except in anticipation of what might come. And, 40 somethings may have well been through these crises and look back with satisfaction/regrets. For audiences over 50, this behaviour will seem to be stuck in the past, learning experiences of those days, long gone by.

With the rivalry, the competitiveness, each of them in a managing position in a book company, they are invited to submit proposals for a promotion. So, the screenplay becomes competitive.

But, as in romantic comedies, there are ups and downs, moments of romance, moments of regret, embarrassing situations, especially when Jonathan invites Lucy to attend the wedding of his brother, Lucy discovering that Jonathan is looked down on by his surgeon father, the marrying brother, also a surgeon, his favourite. And that the new wife was once romantically linked with Jonathan! In fact, the scene where Lucy tells off Jonathan’s father is one of the best in the film, no holds barred!

So, romance on again, off again, Lucy dismayed to find that Jonathan may well be plotting against her for the promotion, she relying on her friend, Danny, an artist designer for help (and her pitch is actually quite interesting, online discussions between readers and authors).

But, we admit we didn’t see how the competition between the two would actually pan out – so, whether is that this is an incentive for you to see the film or not, remember that it conforms to the conventions of the romcom, love and hate.

1. The title, Lucy and Jonathan, hating in action, mellowing, on and off, final romantic comedy?
2. The business setting, the officers, publishing, acquiring companies, office demands? Out of office hours, apartments, bars? And the wedding occasion? The musical score?
3. The setting, Lucy and Jonathan in the same office, facing each other, mimicking each other, loathing each other, their work, need for collaboration? Banter, ironies? The different personalities?
4. Lucy, her background, her work, achievement, publishing, books, reading? Danny, setting up the meeting in the bar, the conversations, no romantic developments, getting him to help her, especially with her proposal?
5. The owners of the company, Bexley and his cantankerous attitudes, not interested in literature? The contrast with Helena, her support of Lucy? The invitation for them both to apply for the managing position, to prepare their cases?
6. The elevator, the kiss, the repercussions? Going to the apartment, the sexual encounter? The consequences? Jonathan’s brother and his wedding?
7. Jonathan, his story, dropping out of medicine, interested in business, his demanding father and expectations, mother’s support, his brother as the favourite, the surgeon? Inviting Lucy to come to the wedding, the tensions between them, the single room and the carry on at reception, late for the rehearsals? The revelation that Mindi was Jonathan’s girlfriend, the breakup?
8. The reception, Jonathan’s father and his speech, condemnation of Jonathan, ridiculing him, praising his brother, Lucy and her talk with Mindi, her speech and the attack on Jonathan’s father?
9. Lucy overhearing Jonathan’s plans for the job, her misinterpretation, Helena setting her up so that she would do better, antagonism towards Jonathan, relying on Danny?
10. Her presentation, the ideas, dialogue with the authors?
11. The finale, her interpreting Jonathan with the job, their getting the job, his going to the rival company?
12. Happy ending, hate and love, ups and downs, romantic comedy style, happy ending – and successful business partnership and rivalry?