I have never read Colleen Hoover’s books, but my first encounter with her work was through the screen adaptation of her popular novel, It Ends With Us. While I found the cinematic interpretation deeply flawed, I hoped Regretting You would offer a bolder, more compelling vision. Despite strong casting based on previous performances, the film disappointed, following five intertwined lives as they navigate the often-predictable, unsatisfying consequences of their choices.
The movie follows the lives of Morgan (Allison Williams), her younger sister Jenny (Willa Ferguson), Morgan’s high school sweetheart and eventual husband, Chris (Scott Eastwood), and Jenny’s boyfriend and eventual husband, Jonah (Dave Franco). At a very young age, just before graduating from high school, Morgan becomes pregnant with Chris’s daughter, Clara (McKenna Grace). The two end up married and raising her while Jonah and Jenny get married and have a child of their own.
While their lives sound rather simple, it gets more complicated, considering that Jonah has always pined for Morgan, and the fact that Chris and Jenny have a history of their own. When a fateful accident causes the deaths of Jenny and Chris, Morgan and Jonah come to the realization that their partners have been having an affair ever since their high school days. Meanwhile, Clara must deal with the untimely deaths of her father and her aunt, with whom she had a close, confidant relationship. Meanwhile, Clara’s crush, Miller (Mason Thames), decides to pursue a romantic relationship with her, which troubles Morgan, given that Miller’s father is a criminal serving time in prison.
With a screenplay by Susan McMartin, director Josh Boone’s adaptation, despite sporadic charm, is a chaotic failure. This muddled tangle of familial and social dilemmas raises more questions than it dares answer. The filmmakers’ transparent push for a manufactured, feel-good ending is so insincere that it breaks all credibility.
The film introduces numerous story elements, yet fails to resolve them meaningfully. By resorting to shallow shortcuts, the filmmakers deliver a pat, artificial conclusion that left me feeling cheated. While some character aspects initially pique interest, the ending’s forced happiness comes off as patronizing.
That said, I didn’t find the entire experience so painful. I think I was placated in some ways by the cast assembled for the film, most of whom I find pleasing for the most part. Still, most of the cast seem to know they are in a poorly conceived story with underdeveloped characters, as evidenced by their weak performances. The exceptions would have to be McKenna Grace and Mason Thames, who make their characters’ romance the movie’s highlight. I was mostly impressed by Grace, who gives a great performance as her character, Clara. Her character is essentially the most intriguing one in the film.
Regretting You offers little for discerning fans of the book. If the filmmakers failed to respect the source material, viewers will likely share my disappointment with this unimpressive adaptation.