Regretting You is a heartfelt family drama based on the bestselling 2019 Colleen Hoover novel of the same name, now showing in theaters worldwide. This newly adapted coming-of-age tale is directed by Josh Boone with a screenplay by Susan Martin.

It features notable actors such as Allison Williams, Mckenna Grace, Dave Franco, Mason Thames, Willa Fitzgerald, Scott Eastwood, and Clancy Brown. Regretting You follows the nuanced lives of the Grant family and their loved ones, showing viewers what it means to redefine traditional themes of family after experiencing heartbreak. Themes include: loss, grief, romance, betrayal, acceptance, and growth.

Morgan Grant (Allison Williams) is an intelligent, practical, and “predictable” woman who fell pregnant in her late teens. This unexpected development immediately sets the trajectory for her foreseeable future. Without time to realise her own dreams and sense of self, Morgan quickly falls into the reliable, doting mother/wife role. Even after putting extra effort and attentive care into raising her daughter, Clara (Mckenna Grace), Morgan is disappointed that Clara is obviously closer to Jenny (Willa Fitzgerald), Morgan’s sister.

Clara and Jenny have conversations that Clara would never have with her own mother (much to Morgan’s dismay). It isn’t until the sudden and tragic passing of Jenny and the Grant family patriarch, Chris (Scott Eastwood), that the tension between Clara and Morgan boils over, ultimately causing a massive rift between mother and daughter. The passing of these two integral family members, Chris and Jenny, occurs early in the movie and shapes the rest of the story.

The film opens at a high school graduation party. It’s here that we are first introduced to the story’s 4 main adult characters: Morgan Grant, Chris Grant, Jonah Sullivan (Dave Franco), and Jenny Davidson. Morgan and Chris are dating each other, while Jonah and Jenny are dating each other. We are shown that Morgan and Jonah have very different socialising styles compared to Jenny and Chris.

It’s a classic relationship trope in which the quiet, intelligent person is dazzled by the loud, charming person, leading to a unique yet compatible relationship dynamic. There is, however, barely any subtlety when it comes to the obvious dysfunction happening within these relationship dynamics.

Jenny and Chris are shown begging Morgan and Jonah to join the party games – Morgan and Jonah politely decline. Jonah makes a face at Morgan as if to say, “Ha, how did we end up with such party animals?”. The romantic tension between Morgan and Jonah begins to become obvious to the audience when we are suddenly hit with the big news from Morgan: “I’m pregnant”. Cue the shock and awe.

We are now transported to the present day. It’s Morgan Grant’s birthday, and her sister Jenny is coming to visit. It’s here that we realise Jenny has gotten pregnant by Jonah at some point after graduation, when they both enter the Grant house with their newborn son, Elijah (adorably played by twins William Burnham Simmons and Ryan Conner Simmons). There is notable tension among all the couples, leaving the audience to question what is really happening beneath the surface. What are these people hiding from one another?

After being reintroduced to these characters as adults, we are first introduced to the real main character, Clara Grant. Although Regretting You is clearly a story about loss, it also paints a clear picture of growth and resilience in specific ways for teenager Clara. She’s only 16 years old when her two best friends pass away while she’s already dealing with her own adolescent fears and desires.

The movie spends most of its time following Clara Grant (Mckenna Grace) as she grows into a teenager after suddenly losing her father and aunt. Clara is a great student with a passion for theater and a great daughter, but she thinks her mother is overbearing and boring. It’s for these reasons that Clara is naturally closer to her fun and open-minded aunt, Jenny.

We learn very quickly that Clara is openly obsessed with the local “bad boy”, Miller Adams (Mason Thames), and has been for quite some time. Miller Adams is a teenager in town with a reputation for having his father in prison, leading some adults in town to judge him unjustly.

One of the most memorable scenes in the movie comes when we are introduced to Clara and Miller for the first time, watching her drive along the backroads as she spots Miller waving her down by a street sign. Clara is driving along a long stretch of road, rushing home to be there in time to celebrate her mother’s birthday. But surely she can stop for a moment to offer her no.1 crush a ride home? Right? Well, the answer is yes, and this moment in time initiates the journey of true love between Clara and Miller that lasts all the way until the credits roll.

The relationship dynamic between Clara and Miller is somewhat confusing at times, but obviously passionate, and it plays an integral part in the overall story. It’s through their budding relationship that we experience Clara’s pain and grief firsthand. After spending most of the film watching Clara try to win Miller’s heart, I noticed that the chemistry between Morgan and Jonah feels almost like an afterthought compared to the chemistry between Clara and Miller.

The on-screen chemistry between Morgan and Jonah doesn’t feel palpable or realistic and falls under the category of “lackluster” for the vast majority of the film. Morgan and Jonah share an unspoken bond fuelled by silent desire, and it is very barely discussed throughout the film.

Not long after Clara and Miller begin their romantic journey, Chris Grant and Jenny Davidson tragically and suddenly pass away. With their passing comes secrets and a deep betrayal. Not only were they together when they both died, but they were also hiding several secrets from their loved ones that would go on to disrupt the entire core of both families involved. The secrets shared between Chris and Jenny cause major disruptions between mother and daughter, Morgan and Clara.

Jonah is also deeply affected by these secrets and has to experience his pain in the only way he knows how—by running away from it. But it’s through running away from his pain and trauma that he realises where his heart belongs. As for Morgan, she seriously questions her worth as an individual and as a mother, and embarks on a (mild) journey of self-discovery while trying to protect Clara’s heart as much as possible.

Regretting You is set in an imaginary small town in the southern U.S. I found the southern U.S. setting particularly cozy and perfect for the story. The film itself was well shot, with obviously good production value, but nothing of note to mention beyond it looking nice. From the beginning of the movie, the audience is treated to a great soundtrack that makes the small-town setting feel even cozier and, somehow, more realistic. There’s a certain air of nostalgia throughout the movie that feels intentional and very welcome.

I’d be remiss not to mention notable funny moments in the film where the audience laughed; in particular, thanks to Lexie, the best friend of Clara, played perfectly by Sam Morelos. Her comedic timing and one-liners were very funny and helped ease some of the particularly heavy scenes that involved tension. Another much-needed form of comedic relief was found in the character of Hank “Gramps” Adams, played by prolific actor Clancy Brown. Gramps is the ill grandfather of Miller, and he shows up a handful of times throughout the film, offering wisdom through wisecracks. His character felt familiar and relatable, and it added to the overall cozy factor of the town.

I’ve personally never read a Colleen Hoover book, but I found the story easy to follow as someone who was previously unaware of the source material. Although the movie was mostly enjoyable, I feel like Regretting You would absolutely have a greater impact on “CoHorts” (an affectionate term used by and for Colleen Hoover fans) or general fans of sentimental romantic drama. I found the main story uninspired and extremely predictable, with way too many relationship themes thrown into the mix. Is it a coming-of-age story?

A story about identity loss as a mother? A story about the resilience of a teenager who has to look after the last of his family? A story about unspoken desires? A story about betrayal? Yes and yes. I’d personally rather watch two separate films with fully fleshed ideas: a story about the identity of Morgan Grant as a mother after experiencing loss and betrayal, or a story about the growth of Clara Grant as a teenager experiencing her first love and her first loss.

Written by: Nattia Jones