After seeing the piles of backlash Colleen Hoover received on her last film adaptation “It Ends with Us,” I must admit walking through those theatre doors I was filled with doubt. I mean, after whatever that production was… well, you can understand why I was skeptical. And yet, “Regretting You” proved me wrong.
Regretting You is a romantic drama based on the novel written by the bestselling author, Colleen Hoover. It follows a mother, Morgan (Allison Williams,) and her teenage daughter, Clara (Mckenna Grace,) and how their already strained relationship becomes more strained through tragic loss. The movie touches on love, loss and grief, as long lasting buried secrets come undone to be confronted with.
While the movie’s original plot might seem predictable, the movie was produced in such a way where every moment felt intentional, as if the producers were having fun with the story. They were able to turn one of the most stereotypical plots into an emotionally rich film- which takes skill. Behind this creation was director, Josh Boone, mainly known for his work on directing the 2014 film, “The Fault in Our Stars.” Having already experienced translating a novel’s words to real emotions, Boone conveys characters’ thoughts rather than just from long dialogues, but from visual metaphors and scenes with no audio. Little metaphors like the “Jolly Rancher” scene say more than a classic dialogue ever could.
Above all, the casting in this movie was top tier. Allison Williams and McKenna Grace completely carry the emotional weight of the story, making the mother-daughter relationship feel painfully real. In this era of film, finding actors that are age compatible with the role they play is awfully rare and McKenna Grace perfectly captures a true teenage girl, making the story feel even more genuine.
And let’s not forget about Mason Thames who plays Miller Adams. Thames was just starring in “How to Train Your Dragon,” already displaying how diverse he is when playing roles. Whenever Mckenna Grace and Mason Thames were on the screen together, they projected chemistry like no other. They embody new love and high school relationships through subtle glances and small gestures, highlighting the classic romance this story brings.
Beyond the actors’ performances on screen chemistry, the soundtrack surely completes the movie. Opening with “Writing on the Wall” by rising artist ROLE MODEL, I was hooked from the start. Each song played in the movie perfectly mirrors the on-screen emotional journey. Take ‘Dakota’ by the Stereophonics, for example, it characterized the nostalgic feelings Morgan had imagined in her teenage years. And the ending song? “Everywhere, Everything” by Noah Kahan, but Gracie Abram’s version wraps the movie up perfectly; filling the audience with hope and satisfaction that everything will work out with Miller and Clara.
If you love an emotional roller-coaster, “Regretting You” is a staple watch. From the undeniable chemistry to the dynamic soundtrack, it’s a movie that will keep you engaged all the way until the credits roll.
