The Hating Game: A Girl Boss Fantasy

July 9, 2023

Rating: 3/5

The Hating Game is a 2021 movie in which people-pleasing girl boss Lucy Hutton and her high-achieving rival coworker Joshua Templeman fall for each other.

The opening scene shows Joshua mimicking Lucy's every move as they face each other in a small open office space separating their warring bosses' offices. Their employer is the result of a merger that makes sense in slide decks and spreadsheets but not in real life: A high-minded literature publisher that Lucy worked for and a money-grabbing low-rent publisher of sports and celebrity autobiographies in which Joshua thrived.

As a result of the merger they're literally pitted against each other, but as much as the movie initially tries to create the illusion of a "hating game," it's obvious Joshua has a crush on Lucy. It's hard to imagine a man spending that much time getting the attention of a woman he doesn't fancy.

While it's obvious from the start that Joshua likes her it is never obvious why. Lucy is pretty, but also quarrelsome, work-obsessed, and quite simply not particularly interesting (which is underscored by her primary hobby: writing Smurf fan fiction).

To really dial up the girl-boss fantasy, Joshua's respect for her only grows as she becomes increasingly assertive throughout the movie. Different men like different things, but abrasive argumentativeness is not something I find a romantically appealing quality in a woman.

Should you watch the Hating Game? Yes, sure, why not? It's an entertaining diversion that will likely leave you reasonably content.

Also...

Lucy Hale is in the movie.