Photo via IMDb
By Keith Walther | Rose Law Group Reporter
“Is that a freaking pigeon?!” No, it is “Reminders of Him,” the new adaptation of Colleen Hoover’s 2022 novel of the same name. And as is typical of Hoover’s stories, it mixes tragedy and romance to achieve that deeper emotional connection. While the heart is certainly present in the story, the romance is certainly lacking, handcuffed by a B-to-C level cast that simply lacks the talent to bring the passion.
Attempting to reclaim her life after serving her prison sentence, Kenna (Maika Monroe) returns to Laramie, Wyoming with hopes of reconnecting with her young daughter who is being raised by the grandparents Patrick (Bradley Whitford) and Grace Landry (Lauren Graham). Kenna quickly realizes that this won’t be easy with a past that is exceedingly difficult to forget let alone forgive. As she tries to get her life in order, she meets Ledger (Tyriq Withers), a bar owner connected to her daughter who might be the only person willing to give her a second chance.
This is the second feature length film for director Vanessa Caswill, her first being another romance in 2023 called “Love at First Sight” which went straight to Netflix. She uses a paint-by-numbers approach for this film, going through the tried-and-true formula of the ups and downs for the main character, followed by the critical turning point moment of revealing truth. This makes for a very mundane, predictable experience that audiences will know precisely how it is going to play out just by watching the trailer. This lack of creativity may actually be comforting for some in knowing exactly what to expect from this dramatic romance.
Despite the obvious nature of the plot points, Caswill successfully harnesses the emotional impact of the story, focusing on processing grief and the difficulty of forgiveness. In this way, she allows viewers to see and understand all sides of the tragedy, letting them fester in the hopelessness of it all while also providing faint glimmers of hope as a lifeline to avoid falling into a pit of despair with the main character. With all the attention on the tragedy side of the story, however, Caswill neglects one of the more important facets of the film, romance. She simply goes through the motions, incorporating obligatory scenes of kissing and intimacy that feel forced and lifeless. This cheapens the story and makes the audience feel icky when the romantic scenes are introduced.
Further complicating the romantic efforts are the two stars, Maika Monroe and Tyriq Withers, who displayed very little on-screen chemistry with each other. Monroe, who wowed critics and audiences alike with her performance in 2024’s “Longlegs,” certainly finds the heartbeat of her character, connecting the guilt and grief with a genuine hope of the future that speaks loudly to viewers. She makes the sometimes-cheesy dialogue her own, but when it comes to romantically connecting her character with that of her co-star, she seems like a fish out of water. This lead role was originally intended for Oscar winner Mikey Madison (“Anora”), but she declined the role.
After starring in two of the worst movies last year in “I Know What You Did Last Summer” and “Him,” this is a step in the right direction for Tyriq Withers. Ironically, the former Florida State wide receiver plays a football player for the third straight time, making one wonder if he can do anything else. His weak line delivery and soulless portrayal belies his talent as an actor, making his shirtless scenes humorous moments of cringy sex appeal. Saying this actor is better suited for daytime soaps would be an insult to soap opera actors.
The touching, heartfelt moments and strong positive messaging elevate this film a step above a Lifetime movie, but its repetitive and predictable style will beleaguer many. “Reminders of Him” is one of those movies that when it becomes available on streaming, you’ll forget if you’ve already seen it or not. Still, the movie delivers exactly what it promises…minus a believable romance.
This movie earns:
