Between her prominent roles in projects likeGame of Thrones,300, and bothThe PurgeandTerminatorfranchises,Lena Headeyisa certified badass when it comes to playing powerful leading characters. Headey’s time as Cersei Lannister alone showcases her skill at developing a cruel, intimidating screen presence, which is why it’s still surprising to learnthe actor’s legacy on filmis as varied as it is compelling. In particular, those searching for Headey’s softer side can do no better thanImagine Me & You, the 2005 rom-com that sees Headey trade her crown for a flower shop. Directed byOl Parker, who later went on to directMamma Mia! Here We Go Again,Imagine Me & Youoffers the same blend of humor and heartwarming charm, delivering one of the mostunderrated rom-coms of the early 2000sin the process.
What Is ‘Imagine Me & You’ About?
Parker’s film begins with the wedding of longtime couple Heck (Matthew Goode) and Rachel (Piper Perabo), whose ceremony is fortunate enough to be decorated by Headey’s local London florist, Luce. After being unsuccessfully courted by Heck’s chauvinistic best friend, Cooper (Darren Boyd),Luce and Rachel subsequently connect during the reception, where Luce helps Rachel escape an uncomfortable encounter with her new husband’s equally intolerable boss, Rob (Ben Miles). From there,the two women grow closer following Heck’s unsuccessful attempt to play matchmakerwith Luce and Cooper, resulting in a slow-burn sapphic love story that isas surprising as it is effortlessly heartwarming.
These Two Rom-Com Legends Are Back Together for a Mystery Project
We’ll have what they’re having.
The gradual intimacy that unfolds between Headey and Perabo’s characters is the highlight ofImagine Me & You. From their first scene together where Rachel symbolically loses her ring, the narrative air around the pair is charged with a yearning tension, andthe film’s dedication to unraveling this unspoken attraction makes it all the more rewardingwhen Luce and Rachel finally begin exploring their feelings. The pair’s date at a soccer game is especially memorable, with Luce tenderly teaching Rachel how to project her inner voice. This technique subsequentlyresonates on a metaphorical level throughoutImagine Me & You, as Rachel’s time with Luce ultimately sendsher on her own journey of discovery, one which tears her between Heck’s longtime support and the disarming charm of Headey’s affectionate florist.
‘Imagine Me & You’ Offers a Refreshing Comfort Movie for Fans of Sapphic Romance
Rather than turn this familiar conflict into a recipe for homophobia, however,Imagine Me & Youfeels refreshing becauseit handles its queer love story with a level of maturitythat enables the film to have a happy endingas wholesome as that of Hollywood’s best rom-coms. As Luce and Rachel’s feelings for one another can no longer be contained, Heck is subsequently forced to reckon with his wife’s sexuality, and his reaction contrasts the attitudes of both Cooper and Rob in a healthy display of vulnerable masculinity. Without spoiling anything,Rachel is then able to project her true feelings in front of the world and her family, makingImagine Me & Youthatrare sapphic gem that doesn’t end in tragedy. Instead, Parker’s film draws comfort from its soft lighting, endearing script, and the subtle poignancy of Headey’s performance to deliver a must-see for fans of positive LGBTQ+ love stories.
The biggest crime surrounding the film is that it wasn’t appreciated more upon its initial release. Whilegeneral audiences continue gushing overImagine Me & Youfor its humor and love story, general critics found Parker’s movie to be bland and generic, suffering from recognizable rom-com tropes that had already grown stale in 2005. While there is some merit to the idea thatImagine Me & Youisn’tas unconventional as other installments in the genre,this criticism works mainly on the structural level and falls shortwhen considering the film’s bold approach to its lesbian love story. In a world where dark, devastating depictions of normative society clashing with queer identities still far outnumber movies daring to imagine happy endings within the LGBTQ+ community,Imagine Me & You’s familiar comfort is nevertheless revolutionary, treating audiences to a glimpse of how women can find happiness in each other without needlessly suffering.
Imagine Me & You
