By Riley Savedge

As we walk through the dimly lit entrance to the theater, my friends and I settle in and eagerly await the showing of Regretting You. The target audience was certainly overly enthusiastic teenage girls, with the sounds of high-pitched laughter filling my ears as soon as I walked in. In addition to the chatter, my nose was instantly hit with the aroma of freshly-buttered popcorn and sugary candy. After sitting through a variety of previews, the viewers grew quiet, and the movie finally began. 

Regretting You is directed by John Boone and premiered in theaters on Oct. 24. The movie is an adaptation of Colleen Hoover’s novel Regretting You, published in 2019. According to IMDb, the plot is centered around “the strained relationship between young mother Morgan Grant and her teenage daughter Clara, exacerbated by Morgan’s husband Chris’s tragic death, that forces them to navigate life’s challenges together.” The book fits into the genres “contemporary romance” and “domestic fiction,” based on plentiful reviews from Goodreads. Hoover has written over 20 young adult and romance novels, the most famous of which is 2016’s It Ends With Us, which was adapted into a film of the same name in 2024.

Grace and Thames on set during filming.

If you don’t enjoy family drama and cheesy teenage romance, Regretting You might not be the best fit for you. While there are moments of grief and heartbreaking loss, the majority of the storyline follows the relationship between Clara Grant and Miller Adams, two teenagers navigating the obstacles of life and love. As teenagers are in the spotlight of the film, Addison Barnes (‘26) thought “Regretting You was made and directed for a younger audience.” There are moments of humor that contrast the emotional scenes; however, much of the movie coincides with the predictable plot of an amusing romantic comedy. New York Times critic Natalia Winkelman wrote, “It’s formulaic and predictable, with goofy writing and clumsy editing.” The storyline is somewhat foreseeable and expected, so if you are looking for a film with numerous plot twists and surprises, I would stay away from Regretting You. 

Grant and Adams are played by Mckenna Grace and Mason Thames. Both Grace and Thames are fairly young but have obtained roles in a wide variety of critically-acclaimed films and television series. Grace has played supporting characters in popular entertainment such as Captain Marvel, The Handmaid’s Tale, and Young Sheldon. Thames has gained fame in recent years for his performances in The Black Phone and How To Train Your Dragon. Critics have contrary opinions on the quality of acting in the film. Some reviewers applaud their work, while others characterize the theatrics as disappointing. Wall Street Journal critic Kyle Smith noted, “Thin characterizations, bland acting and a surfeit of bubbly cuteness combine to make a throw-pillow of a movie.” On the other hand, Winkelman praised the actors for being the film’s redeeming aspect: “The saving grace is the actors, who manage to perform even the most ridiculous lines with a straight face.” While neither the acting nor plot is anything spectacular, Sloan Sullivan (‘26) believed the film is “light-hearted and entertaining.”

Beyond the lively romance and comedic breaks, the foundation of Regretting You is riddled with infidelity, secrets, and deception. A tragic car accident uncovers an affair between Clara’s father, Chris Grant, and her aunt, Jenny Davidson, which shatters the lives of many of the surviving characters. Morgan Grant struggles with whether the secret should be shared with her daughter, fearing it will tarnish Clara’s memory of the people she loved the most. In addition to the affair, Jenny’s fiancé, Jonah Sullivan, reveals his underlying love for Morgan soon after the accident occurs. The characters’ fabricated lives made for a rather toxic and unsettling plot, leading Maddy Privasky (‘26) to say, “I liked Regretting You, but the plot was extremely messed up. Overall, I would rate it a 4 out of 5.”

The cast on set filming a scene.

For my friends and I, a triumphant aspect of the dramatic film was the vibrant variety of background music that accompanied the storyline. The soundtrack covered a range of artists and genres that adequately represented the mix of sentiments the characters faced. Early in the movie, Clara is driving along a country road listening to “Writing’s On The Wall” by Role Model, when abruptly stopped by Miller Adams. “Writing’s On The Wall” is upbeat and energetic, which was an immaculate choice to open the film on a positive note. The rest of the soundtrack included tracks from Amy Stroup, Suki Waterhouse, and Tommy Prine. My personal favorite was Regretting You’s decision to incorporate “Everywhere, Everything” by Noah Kahan featuring Gracie Abrams. Kahan’s song played as Miller Adams unveiled his “promposal” for Clara, a collage of videos he’d collected throughout their relationship together. The lyrics coincided with the sweet, romantic setting and the disposition of the characters. When asked to reflect upon the soundtrack, Sullivan concluded that “the songs were all really good and added to the scenes.”

After seeing Regretting You, I would recommend the film to someone who enjoys humorous teenage love, not someone who desires a remarkable storyline with award-winning acting. As was evident with the population in the theater, the movie’s target audience is teenagers and young adults, not the older generations. I agree with Barnes in her reasoning that the “movie views better to a teenage girl, as it follows the story of a high schooler going through family challenges while trying to balance her friends and romantic life.” If you enjoy classic romantic comedies and a few awkward moments of acting, take your friends to Regretting You. 

All photos courtesy of @regrettingyoumovie on Instagram.