Mason Thames, left, and Mckenna Grace in “Regretting You.” Credit: Paramount Pictures/ZUMA Press via TNS
When it comes to searching for a soulmate, the daunting task of navigating relationships can be messy and complicated, yet hopeful — no matter what point someone is at in their life.
“Regretting You,” based on the 2019 novel from Colleen Hoover of the same name, released in theaters Friday. The latest film from director Josh Boone — whose past directorial work includes “The Fault in Our Stars” and “Stuck in Love” — explores the inner workings of people’s closest relationships and how they recover when they fall apart.
The movie introduces its leading characters through its opening scene, depicting a pair of sisters, Morgan (Allison Williams) and Jenny (Willa Fitzgerald), and their respective boyfriends, Chris (Scott Eastwood) and Jonah (Dave Franco).
While both couples seem content in their relationships, there is an underlying sense of connection between Morgan and Jonah, as though they understand each other far better than either of their partners. However, the movie’s plot quickly establishes that there is no hope for their relationship to grow — Morgan is pregnant and Chris is the father.
Cut to 16 years later when Clara — Morgan and Chris’ daughter, played by Mckenna Grace — is introduced. The plot then begins to come together and the complex familial dynamics are revealed.
Clara has a strained relationship with her mother, and there is a distinct lack of trust between them. However, she has a deep bond with her aunt, Jenny, which at times seems to pester Morgan. This inherent tension prepares the audience for the twists and turns that are to come.
The height of this suspense comes to a head when the news breaks that both Chris and Jenny have died in a car accident. This asserts the movie’s core question — what were they doing together?
From here, everything begins to fall apart.
The actors convey the breaking away of their false fronts in a mediocre manner. Their acting is decent, yet the characters still lack depth — they never feel fully fleshed out, despite the on-screen character growth they experience.
The plot of “Regretting You” is intense. Taking that into consideration, the film is so solely focused on its characters’ emotional and healing journeys, that they simply omit allowing their personalities to shine through.
Because of this, audiences are deprived of the humanity that they desperately crave among the melodramatic narrative. As the credits roll, these characters still feel like strangers.
Among some inherently dull performances, Grace and Mason Thames — who plays Miller, Clara’s love interest — shine. While their characters do still have their cringe-worthy lines — at the fault of the script that takes itself too seriously — they manage to maintain an essence of charm and youthfulness that feels like a breath of fresh air within the stormy storyline.
These characters, however, lack a sense of self and their interpersonal and romantic relationships do not feel fully developed. When a romantic plotline takes the stage, it feels as though it came out of nowhere — despite “Regretting You” being labeled as a romance.
Romantic gestures on screen feel anticlimactic, even though they’re the ground on which the movie finds its footing. The characters’ interactions don’t have enough of an emotional undertone to elicit a sincere connection with the audience.
One of the more interesting on-screen relationships explored is that of Clara and her mother, Morgan. The pair obviously have a deep sense of appreciation for one another, but their relationship is hindered by Morgan’s lack of communication after the tragedy. This leaves Clara feeling ignored, as her grief is overlooked.
This complex dynamic, more specifically the patterns of secrets kept between Clara and Morgan, highlights a central narrative theme — the extent to which we will go to hide the truth to protect the ones we love.
While “Regretting You” struggles to stay afloat in balancing its character dynamics, it proves itself to excel in carefully putting its story together piece by piece. Characters slowly begin to connect loose ends throughout the two-hour runtime, which assists the storyline in maintaining its intrigue — but despite this, the plot is still immensely predictable.
While “Regretting You” features an unconvincing storyline, its characters still manage to feel innately human. Its narrative challenges audiences to consider what they are willing to do for love and its message depicts how even while navigating grief, finding your purpose is still possible as long as you have those who love you on standby to keep you from drifting astray.
Rating: 2.5/5
