After Series Redeemed With Sequel
Spoilers Ahead. Read at your own risk.
It all started with a Harry Styles Wattpad fanfiction. Now, it’s a multimillion-dollar movie series. If you’ve seen the first movie in this series, you may have enjoyed the classic bad boy/good girl dynamic, but for those that read the book, the movie hardly compared to the book series. With the second film released in the U.S. this past Friday, the movie series found redemption with a newfound resemblance to the book series. The plot within the book and movie are similar, but obviously, one can not fit the details of hundreds of pages into a film that spans less than two hours. There are few missing points—such as Natalie, Zed’s crush on Tessa, and Hardin’s possible expulsion—that didn’t make it into the film. However, one of the big redemption points was the addition of Hardin’s nightmares into the film. Along with that, even if the progression of certain plot points weren’t exactly the same as the book, such as the ice skating and yoga date, they still were wrapped into the movie’s storyline. And even if you hated the film, you can’t say that you didn’t watch the Molly/Tessa fight scene on repeat.
Source: Entertainment Tonight
For those who might be new to the series, main character Tessa Young, played by Josephine Langford, is your typical, innocent college student. The costume designer mocks this perfectly with Tessa’s conservative outfits, the type of outfits you’d see during Easter Sunday or at Confirmation. She had left her boyfriend Noah, portrayed by Dylan Arnold, for a brooding student named Hardin Scott, portrayed by Hero Fiennes Tiffin. However, at the end of the first film, Tessa and Hardin break up when Tessa learns that it was all just a bet between Hardin and his friends to see if he could get Tessa to fall in love with her. Which, as terrible as that is, it’s still a dial down from the book series, where it was a bet to take her virginity. Even though it started with a bet, Hardin did end up falling in love with her and is trying to make amends for his cruel behavior.
The second film starts off a month into their lives post-break-up. Hardin is devastated, while Tessa is trying to move on, which begins with her new internship at a publishing company. Cue the love triangle to follow with one of her co-workers named Trevor, played by Dylan Sprouse. In typical cliché fashion, Tessa picks Hardin over Trevor, but what else was to be expected?
The rollercoaster of their relationship features an impromptu Seattle trip, cheating, romantic gifts, Truth or Dare, ice skating, and childhood PTSD. Is this a healthy relationship? Not in the slightest, but it’s as addicting to watch as it is for the couple to live.
Source: Entertainment Weekly
The first movie felt like a Disney original compared to the sequel. After We Collided, the second film in the series, features multiple risqué scenes between the lovers, along with an increase in foul language in the dialogue. It was no surprise that they changed the ratings from PG-13 to R.
The plot of the movie was easy to stay engaged with. The pacing was often pretty steady, however many of the intimate scenes I felt were a little too long, and then the ending felt very rushed. If they would’ve cut down on the length of their sexual scenes, it could’ve created a better pacing with the ending. Especially the scene when they’re sleeping in the same bed and Hardin’s mother is in the living room—I thought it was never going to end. In reality, it’s about 4-5 minutes long, but it could’ve been better cut a lot shorter.
Another thing I didn’t like about the sex scenes was that, sometimes, the music felt a little too playful instead of sensual and seductive. In those scenes—specifically the shower scene—the vibes never seemed to match up. The song in the shower scene was So Good by Dove Cameron, but it really didn’t fit right. However, during the club scene, the music fit in perfectly along with the jazzy Christmas music during the family party scene. Other than those two scenes, the best songs in the movie are We Belong by Dove Cameron and You Were Supposed to Be Different by Aron Wright in my opinion.
When it comes to setting, I don’t think anything is particularly fascinating given that this takes place in Washington. However, I did like the Christmas decoration throughout the film. Even at the beginning at the hotel, you could see Christmas trees in the lobby. That was good timing for when this was taking place.
With the characters in this film, you mostly see a lot of Hardin and Tessa, but both of the characters are performed phenomenally. With Tessa, everything she does fits exactly with the innocent “good girl” aesthetic they are going for. The second she moves into her office, she immediately tidies up everything. With her clothing, even at a NYE party, she stands out as she’s wearing the least revealing outfit. The small details really made her character come to life.
Hardin’s character also fits into his aesthetic perfectly. His anger issues are seen in multiple scenes as he breaks things or attempts to start fights. Each of his outfits, casual or dressy, always feature dark colors—mainly just black. Along with that, he has multiple tattoos on his arms and hands that fit right back into that “bad boy” stereotype. The only thing missing are the rings.
I think Langford and Tiffin do an incredible job portraying these characters, but I don’t think it’s necessarily Academy-winning acting. I think each character in the series, not just these two, is supposed to be highly dramatic. Isn’t the drama what hooks us in?
I’d recommend this movie for those who love an overly dramatic romantic story that keeps you on your toes when learning more about Tessa and Hardin’s past. Even the end of the film features a brief moment of Tessa seeing her dad ten years after he left. For those who read the series, it’s honorable that the movie ends in the same fashion as the novel. For those who are strictly movie fans, I’ve seen numerous reviews that they hated the cliffhanger. To them I’d say, just you wait.
Source: International Business Times
Many critics claim that this movie is anti-feminist. Again, I repeat, that I do not think the two of them have a healthy relationship, but I don’t think its necessarily a story about a woman letting a man control her. If anything, they both have their toxic traits. Tessa cheated on Hardin right in front of him, because she didn’t give him a chance to explain. She practically pressures him to have sex with her while she’s intoxicated. Neither of them are innocent in this relationship.
In the end, I’d have to say I would totally recommend this movie. I’m already looking forward to watching it again and again, just like I did the first one. It’s an intriguing love story with plenty of heart-throbbing and humorous moments. However, I’d say if you’re susceptible to thinking the toxic relationships in shows or movies you watch are what you should be looking for, this may be one to skip. I wouldn’t say it’s necessarily a good idea to go find your Hardin Scott.
The crew has already begun filming the third and fourth movie, After We Fell and After Ever Happy. While the third film may not be out for a year or longer, I know I’ll be anxiously waiting until then.
If you haven’t seen the film yet, click here to purchase it on iTunes or Vudu. If the movie theatres are open in your town, that’s always an option, too.