The Hating Game Movie Review | Common Sense Media

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Parents' Guide to

The Hating Game Movie R 2021 102 minutes The Hating Game Poster Image
  • Common Sense Says
  • Parents Say 2 Reviews
  • Kids Say 9 Reviews

Common Sense Media Review

Sandie Angulo Chen By Sandie Angulo Chen , based on child development research. How do we rate?

age 15+

Chemistry between charming leads sells steamy romcom.

Parents Need to Know

Parents need to know that The Hating Game is an entertaining, somewhat steamy book-based workplace romantic comedy about rival New York City publishing assistants (Fantasy Island stars Lucy Hale and Austin Stowell) who hate each other …

 Why Age 15+? Sex, Romance & Nudity

In one love scene, Josh is shown wearing only a low-slung towel, which Lucy take

 Language

Frequent strong language includes "f--k," "s--t," "bulls--t," "a--hole," "douche

 Products & Purchases

Apple MacBook, Dell computer, iPhone, Smurfs heavily featured.

 Drinking, Drugs & Smoking

Adults drink wine, champagne, and cocktails at bars, dinners, and receptions. A

Violence & Scariness

Comical violence during a game of paintball that leaves Lucy bruised (purple and

 Any Positive Content? Positive Messages

Don't judge someone based on an inaccurate first impression; learn to communicat

 Positive Role Models

Lucy is hardworking, dedicated, generous, kind, and loyal. Joshua is organized,

Diverse Representations

The movie centers White, heterosexual, able-bodied characters, despite being set

  • Parents Need to Know

    Parents need to know that The Hating Game is an entertaining, somewhat steamy book-based workplace romantic comedy about rival New York City publishing assistants (Fantasy Island stars Lucy Hale and Austin Stowell) who hate each other ... until they fall for each other. Expect more language than in the typical romcom ("f--k," "bitch," "a--hole," etc.), but the movie is still likely to appeal to teens thanks to the stars and the enduring popularity of Sally Thorne's best-selling source novel on social media (including the now prevalent #BookTok). The movie's kissing and sex scenes are less explicit than the ones in the book, but one does show a man's naked behind, and there's passionate kissing and some fairly explicit sexual references. Adults drink cocktails at dinners, dates, and receptions. Although the movie -- which is set in New York City (unlike the ambiguously located novel) -- is slightly more diverse than the book, it's still mostly White, which doesn't accurately reflect its setting. Themes include the importance of healthy communication, especially with a romantic partner.

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  • Sex, Romance & Nudity

    a lot

    In one love scene, Josh is shown wearing only a low-slung towel, which Lucy takes off him. His naked butt is visible, and she gasps at his naked body. They make love; his bare back is shown, but she keeps her dress on. In the next scene, they're in bed with bare shoulders. Lucy has an erotic dream about Josh in which, he -- fully dressed in a suit -- gets on top of her in bed and says something naughty in her ear. They discuss the dream, but not that he was in it. Lucy kisses another character three times in quick succession on a date. Lucy and Josh kiss passionately on several occasions and end up on a bed more than once. Sexual innuendo/overt references in conversations, like "I'm going to work you so f--king hard" or "let's play the who can make the other one come first game," or "let's just do it."

    Did you know you can flag iffy content? Adjust limits for Sex, Romance & Nudity in your kid's entertainment guide.

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  • Language

    a lot

    Frequent strong language includes "f--k," "s--t," "bulls--t," "a--hole," "douche," "d--k," "son of a bitch," "damn," "donkey farts," "nitwit in a pushup bra," and other insults.

    Did you know you can flag iffy content? Adjust limits for Language in your kid's entertainment guide.

    Get started Close

  • Products & Purchases

    a little

    Apple MacBook, Dell computer, iPhone, Smurfs heavily featured.

  • Drinking, Drugs & Smoking

    a little

    Adults drink wine, champagne, and cocktails at bars, dinners, and receptions. A bride and a guest joke about needing a joint (or meth, or any drug) to get through a wedding reception.

    Did you know you can flag iffy content? Adjust limits for Drinking, Drugs & Smoking in your kid's entertainment guide.

    Get started Close

  • Violence & Scariness

    very little

    Comical violence during a game of paintball that leaves Lucy bruised (purple and blue bruising on her abdomen).

    Did you know you can flag iffy content? Adjust limits for Violence & Scariness in your kid's entertainment guide.

    Get started Close

  • Positive Messages

    some

    Don't judge someone based on an inaccurate first impression; learn to communicate in a healthy way with a romantic partner; don't let others undermine your self-confidence; be open about your relationship needs. Even those who seem to have it all together need reassurance and support.

  • Positive Role Models

    some

    Lucy is hardworking, dedicated, generous, kind, and loyal. Joshua is organized, disciplined, and ambitious. Both of them are exemplary at their jobs, despite their disparate styles. Once they get over their miscommunications and really talk through their issues, each sees how the other is good for them. Helen is a supportive and caring boss, but Bexley is a sexist "good ol' boy" who dismisses Lucy and Helen.

  • Diverse Representations

    very little

    The movie centers White, heterosexual, able-bodied characters, despite being set in the very diverse New York City. There's little racial, ethnic, LGBTQ+, or any other form of diversity, but the few representations that are included -- Lucy's boss, Helen, is a woman of color (indeterminate ethnicity); her co-worker Julie is Black (albeit portrayed as flakey and unreliable); and the company's HR director is Black -- are more than were in the source novel.

    Did we miss something on diversity? Suggest an update .

Where to Watch

  • The Hating Game Trailer The Hating Game
  • The Hating Game Movie: Scene #1
  • The Hating Game Movie: Scene #2
  • The Hating Game Movie: Scene #3

The Hating Game

Parent and Kid Reviews

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  • Parents Say (2)
  • Kids Say (9)
age 16+

Based on 2 parent reviews

See all 2 parent reviews age 14+

Based on 9 kid reviews

See all 9 kid reviews

What's the Story?

Based on author Sally Thorne's best-selling romance novel debut, THE HATING GAME is an enemies-to-lovers story about two Manhattan publishers' assistants -- Lucy Hutton (Lucy Hale) and Joshua Templeman (Austin Stowell) -- who can't stand each other (at first). They work for publishing companies that are forced to merge. Lucy is the artsy, overly generous assistant to the literary, art-driven Helen (Sakina Jaffrey), and Joshua is the intimidating, type-A assistant to commercially driven chauvinist Bexley (Corbin Bernsen). When the bosses announce they're creating a singular managing editor position, both Lucy and Josh announce their intention to apply -- and secure -- the job. As their rivalry ramps up, the two realize their interactions are filled with sexual tension.

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Is It Any Good?

Our review: Parents say (2 ): Kids say (9 ):

Attractive stars and a classic romance-novel device make this adaptation come alive with swoon-worthy chemistry and surprisingly good comic timing. Considering the popularity of Thorne's novel on social media, it seemed destined to reach the big screen. Director Peter Hutchings, working from an adapted script by Christina Mengert, captures and improves upon aspects of the source material. The story no longer has a nameless setting (the Australian Thorne purposely wrote it in a way that let readers imagine any big English-speaking city in the world) but is located in Manhattan's intense publishing world, where mergers are commonplace and competing interests between literary/prestige houses and commercial/airport-paperback titles are believable. And Hale and Stowell's chemistry does the book more than justice, cranking up their characters' unresolved sexual tension. The backstory about Lucy's close relationship to her strawberry-farmer parents isn't as well fleshed out as Josh's third-act reveal about his dysfunctional family dynamics, but there's enough to endear audiences to her plight as a beautiful-but-quirky aspiring editor.

The romance works not only because of the actors but also because the "enemies to lovers" storyline, while well worn, is more fun than, say, an angst-filled love triangle or best friends being scared to take the next step. This is the sort of romcom for fans of Darcy and Lizzie, You've Got Mail, or any number of other stories where the characters' initial dislike is so obviously threaded with attraction. Familiarity with the source book isn't necessary but will add enjoyment to hearing specific lines (like "Watching you pretend to hate the nickname is the best part of my day" or "Hating someone feels disturbingly similar to being in love with them") and watching sequences that are nearly identical to book passages. Bernsen and Jaffrey successfully chew the scenery as bickering bosses who can't agree on anything -- including what makes a good assistant -- with Bernsen perfectly embodying a sexist, golfing, elitist executive. The catchy, pop-heavy soundtrack prominently features Angelina Jordan's "Mercy," two Dagny tracks, and the ballad "This Is How You Fall in Love" by Jeremy Zucker and Chelsea Cutler. While it's not perfect, the leads make The Hating Game a winning romcom, particularly for the love story's existing followers.

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Talk to Your Kids About ...

  • Families can talk about the popularity of the "hate to love" storyline in romances. Why is it so compelling in books and movies? What are your favorite examples of the subgenre? Is it a realistic take on how relationships work?

  • How does The Hating Game depict sexual relationships? How is sex portrayed differently when the characters are in their 20s than when they're underage?

  • In what ways do Lucy and Josh help each other? What do you think about the way the Templeton family treats Josh? Should parents only be proud of their kids if they pursue certain careers?

  • Discuss how the movie focuses almost singularly on workplace relationships. Do Lucy and Josh have non-work friends? Does the movie pass the Bechdel Test?

  • How does the movie show the importance of honest communication?

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Movie Details

  • In theaters : December 10, 2021
  • On DVD or streaming : December 10, 2021
  • Cast : Lucy Hale , Austin Stowell , Corbin Bernsen
  • Director : Peter Hutchings
  • Inclusion Information : Female Movie Actor(s)
  • Studio : Vertical Entertainment
  • Genre : Romance
  • Topics : Book Characters
  • Character Strengths : Communication , Integrity
  • Run time : 102 minutes
  • MPAA rating : R
  • MPAA explanation : some sexual content and language
  • Last updated : September 29, 2025
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Did we miss something on diversity?

Research shows a connection between kids' healthy self-esteem and positive portrayals in media. That's why we've added a new "Diverse Representations" section to our reviews that will be rolling out on an ongoing basis. You can help us help kids by suggesting a diversity update.

The Hating Game

Suggest an Update

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Related Topics

  • Communication
  • Integrity
  • Book Characters

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