Author Colleen Hoover has been on a roll with best-selling novels being adapted into film. Colleen’s books have redefined the contemporary romance genre, not being afraid to blend in traditional love stories with intense, often dark, real-life issues such as domestic abuse, trauma and mental health that many can relate to. It Ends With Us and Regretting You are two of her best sellers, which didn’t quite see the same success in cinema. Now in 2026, Reminders of Him hits the big screen, this time with Colleen Hoover involved in writing the screenplay along with Lauren Levine, directed by Vanessa Caswill and stars Maika Monroe, Tyriq Withers, Rudy Pankow, Zoe Kosovic, Monika Myers, Lauren Graham and Bradley Whitford. 

Seven years after the fatal car accident that killed her boyfriend, Scotty, and after being charged for involuntary manslaughter, Kenna is released from prison and returns to her hometown. She struggles to find work and hopes to properly meet her daughter, Diem, whom she gave birth to while incarcerated, who is also Scotty’s daughter. Diem lives with her grandparents, who won’t allow Kenna anywhere near her because they resent her for killing their son. Kenna soon meets Ledger, who she later learns was Scotty’s best friend and has been helping raise Diem. Ledger also prevents Kenna from seeing Diem, but it also acts as a bridge between the two, and they begin to develop an attraction for each other, which complicates everything. Losing Scotty made Kenna give up on life, and Diem became her reason to live, but she is torn between wanting to be in her daughter’s life and doing what might be best. 

Maika Monroe stars as Kenna Rowan, whose world was turned upside down after the death of her boyfriend, Scotty, which she was responsible for by driving the car while under the influence. Maika’s performance shows a woman who was at her happiest with Scotty, having nothing to live for, finding out she was pregnant while in prison, having her baby taken away right after giving birth, and her daughter being the only thing that kept her going, but she isn’t allowed to see her. Every little detail in Maika’s facial expressions and body language, no matter how subtle, illustrates her struggles, pain and trauma as she tries to get her life back together and move on from that fateful night. Everywhere she goes, and everything she sees is a constant reminder of him. 

Tyriq Withers plays Ledger Ward, a former NFL player who retired early due to injury and now owns a bar that used to be a bookstore frequented by Kenna and Scotty. He doesn’t recognise Kenna at first, who catches his eye, but after realising she’s the mother of the girl he’s been helping raise and the woman who killed his best friend, he immediately keeps her away from Diem and her grandparents. This causes friction between him and Kenna, but he also feels sorry for her and tries to help as much as possible. Tyriq’s performance shows a man who had his own dreams, but gave all that up to help raise the daughter of his late best friend.

Rudy Pankow portrays Scotty Landry, Kenna’s boyfriend prior to his death, Ledger’s late best friend and Diem’s father. He doesn’t get as much screen time as the main cast, only being shown in some flashback scenes. His limited screen time does his importance to the story, but doesn’t show enough of why he was loved by everyone. Most of his scenes show him high or drunk, sometimes both, making it hard to see what Kenna saw in him, since he seems unserious most of the time. Then again, this seems common in many young relationships in real life. The film does show that he clearly loved Kenna, but could’ve explored their relationship more and had scenes that also showed his serious side. 

The film slowly unveils more details about what happened on the night of the accident as Kenna and Ledger grow closer, and the film also shows flashback scenes of Kenna and Scotty. It feels like seeing Kenna in two different relationships at the same time while watching the film, which leaves the audience conflicted about whom to root for, even though they know what happens to one of them. Audiences may also be conflicted with Kenna possibly developing a romantic relationship with her late boyfriend’s best friend, feeling it’s immoral, but the film does make sure to show why Kenna might want to go further with Ledger. 

Also, by showing Kenna’s two developing relationships at different times, audiences will compare them and feel she had better chemistry with Ledger than with Scotty, making his role in the story feel less impactful. The book goes into much more detail on both relationships and many other aspects, which the film couldn’t fit into its almost two-hour runtime. 

Also starring in the film are Lauren Graham and Bradley Whitford as Scotty’s parents and Diem’s grandparents, who want nothing to do with Kenna. They might sound like the film’s somewhat antagonists, but audiences will see they’re genuine people doing what they believe is best, and they can feel their pain after losing their son, and they also show plenty of character development. Diem is played by Zoe Kosovic, a sweet young girl who isn’t old enough to understand the family dynamic yet, and audiences will look forward to seeing her and Kenna finally reunite.

Meeting Diem is Kenna’s main goal and the reason she came back, but she also makes a few new friends, which help her heal from the trauma and get her through the day, even though some of them have kids, making her miss her own daughter more. Her main friend and coworker is Diana, who has Down syndrome, as does the actress who plays her, Monika Myers. In real life, Monika is also Canada’s first runway model with Down syndrome and has been an advocate for disability representation in films and other media. She may not get as much screen time, but audiences will adore her naive yet uplifting personality and her role as a good friend to Kenna.

Having the author Colleen Hoover involved in this film makes a big difference. She wasn’t involved in the film adaptations of two of her other books, It Ends With Us and Regretting You, which didn’t see the same success as the books because they had to leave out many details, but Reminders of Him could be the exception. The film does leave out a lot of details, and the story might feel cliché and predictable overall, but it’s how everything is executed that sets the film apart from others in the genre, which is what makes Colleen’s novels so special. 

Instead of trying to create an original story that’s never been done before, it’s the moments, the buildup, the tension, emotion, pain, struggles, grief and most importantly, how they’re all executed that make this film stand out from the rest. Even if audiences know what to expect and what’s going to happen, no one can deny the mix of emotions, with excitement and anxiety building up in the moments leading to a big scene that needs to be seen to be believed. Colleen Hoover, involved in the film production, ensures these special moments are conveyed on screen to recreate the same feeling as reading the book. 

The movie is primarily set in a fictional small town in Colorado, giving it a small community feel. It’s odd that most of the locals don’t seem to remember who Kenna is, which the book goes into more, but a lot can change in seven years, whereas in the book, it was five. There is a lot of beautiful scenery to admire from the main town in the desert, mountain ranges in the distance and other places the characters visit, such as lakes and forests. The music, composed by Tom Howe, has something for every occasion, especially its emotional buildups. 

Reminders of Him isn’t just a romance movie; it also explores the dynamics of tragedy, resentment, grief, forgiveness, and the struggle to move forward in life. It does have some flaws and questionable story elements, but the moments leading up to something big are what will keep audiences glued to the screen to see the outcome. It may not rank amongst the best romance films of all time, but it doesn’t need to, though it is a strong contender and will leave a lasting impression.

Reminders of Him is a more faithful adaptation of Colleen Hoover’s best-selling novel that recreates the emotional rollercoaster, builds up the big moments and executes them in a big way. 

Written by: Sammy Hanson