Regretting You Review
If there’s anything that a Colleen Hoover story can promise, it’s definitely something that’s filled with drama, romance, and tragedy. With 2024’s It Ends With Us, it gave viewers a traumatic view on love with tough moments of love that still stick with us today. Even though that film’s been mired with controversy, Hoover’s work still shows much promise. For fans of the author’s books, this continues on with Regretting You, which, fortunately, is a much more endearing, albeit somewhat more messy.
Regretting You is the second adaptation in Colleen Hoover’s collection of books. This time, it follows Clara (Mckenna Grace), who’s struggling following the death of her beloved aunt. With her “good friend” Miller (Mason Thames), Clara copes in the best way any teenager can: by rebelling against her mom, Morgan (Allison Williams). As Clara seeks to be her own person, Morgan and Jonah (Dave Franco), Morgan’s longtime friend, try to keep everything together as family secrets and burdened thoughts come to light.
If there’s one thing to enjoy about Regretting You, it’s that sweet and comedic chemistry that’s shared by the ensemble cast. This is truly shown through the dynamic between Grace and Thames, who provide energetic, yet down-to-earth, performances as Clara and Miller. There are specific instances between the two stars that show that needed wholesomeness, whether it be the two sharing a secret joint, going to the theater, or those occasional home scenes here and there. Yet, Grace and Thames’ in-character dynamic is what gives that needed charm.
There’s also some hilarious moments further emphasized by other characters, including Sam Morelos’s very aware Lexie and Clancy Brown’s empathetic Hank. Though Hank only appears here and there, Lexie gets some spotlight moments with one-liner moments that will certainly get a laugh from audiences. This is especially so when Regretting You reaches some heated moments, allowing Lexie to deliver the right amount of comedy in those awkward situations.
Furthermore, the chemistry between Williams’s Morgan and Franco’s Jonah has this “will they, won’t they” feeling that keeps you a bit on edge. There are glimpses of the past, here and there, that suggest that there’s a deeper bond between them that remains unexplored. Yet, the film somewhat overplays itself in letting this thought become obvious. While the film makes it clear that Morgan and Jonah are meant for each other, there are certain moments to suggest that it might not even happen.
Regretting You likes to constantly tease you whether or not things will eventually work out, in part due to Susan McMartin’s screenplay. From the film’s inciting incident involving Morgan’s sister to Clara’s multiple moves to avoid confronting her mom, there’s always this feeling that everything won’t be the same. It goes through this vicious cycle of Morgan trying to get answers out of Clara while Clara resorts to using Miller as her personal outlet, but every single turning point holds a little more weight than the last. Although, this gradual increase in narrative intensity can result in the more “hard to bite” moments feeling awkward.
This is most likely due to how some setups to particular moments are put together, especially in the second act. At times, the film can often go from being somewhat grim to being a bit punky in its own fashion, like when Morgan and Jonah try to deal with some reveals later on. It can be a minor tonal whiplash to transition like so, especially with some peculiar musical choices and lines of dialogue that can feel forced.
Overall, Regretting You is a sweet, yet somber, adaptation that’ll leave you moved by grounded performances from Mckenna Grace, Mason Thames, Allison Williams, and Dave Franco. While it may have a few issues regarding its tonal shifts over time, Josh Boone’s vision of Hoover’s original story works to create a bittersweet story of family and hope.
Regretting You releases in theaters on October 24.
Rating: ★★★★
_
Christopher Gallardo is a freelance entertainment writer and critic. While not running The Reel Roller, Chris can be found writing reviews and breakdowns on all things films and TV. Outside of entertainment writing, he’s currently taking classes for a Bachelor’s of Science with a minor in Digital Media & Journalism. Plus, he loves Percy Jackson, animated films and shows, and Fallout! Follow Christopher on Instagram & X.