Lilli Keeve
“There was before you, and there was during you. For some reason, I never thought there would be an after you.”
The latest Colleen Hoover film adaptation, Reminders of Him, is the strongest feature thus far, with the controversial 2024 film It Ends With Us being the first in the line of the book-to-screen adaptations based on Hoover’s popular novels. Maika Monroe (Longlegs, It Follows) and Tyriq Withers (HIM, I Know What You Did Last Summer) play the leads, Kenna and Ledger, complex characters who are navigating the grief of losing someone close to them and form a close bond over time. Kenna comes back to her hometown in Wyoming after being released from prison for the accidental death of her boyfriend, Scotty (Rudy Pankow), who was also Ledger’s best friend.
As Kenna navigates the world and tries to get her life together, she also has a young daughter, Diem (Zoe Kosovic), who has been raised by Scotty’s parents and Ledger, who is like a father to her. When they discover Kenna is back, it causes tension and conflict, and her unexpected relationship with Ledger is compromised. Reminders of Him is beautifully directed by Vanessa Caswill, with a screenplay by Lauren Levine and Colleen Hoover. The adaptation offers a solid storytelling foundation and grapples with universal themes (such as grief, loss, identity, and love), elevated by Monroe and Withers’ dynamic performances. Despite these positive elements, the film lacked enough dramatic tension, and the overall resolution felt incomplete.
Notably, the intention and care with which Monroe embodied Kenna is significant. Kenna’s inner journey from beginning to end is stunning, nuanced, and profound, all because of Monroe’s remarkable character work. There is a tough yet sensitive nature to Kenna, and a storied depth that allows her to jump from page to screen seamlessly. Monroe’s face and eyes convey so much without words — there’s another layer to her thoughts and feelings that continuously weigh on her. She is a headstrong woman who does her best to overcome trauma and rebuild her life, while yearning for the old one that was taken from her. Additionally, she’s also in the midst of navigating a society that, at first, isn’t too welcoming.
Ledger, a former NFL star who now owns a bar, is portrayed perfectly by Tyriq Withers, who is a college wide receiver turned actor. Impressively, Withers has only starred in a handful of other projects. The warmth, kindness, and reassuring qualities he brings to Ledger come across effortlessly, and he has to be strong for everyone around him. He brings a balance of tenderness and steadfastness, exemplified in his relationship with Diem, whose carefree spirit brings out the best in him — he sees Scotty in her.
The spark between them makes their unlikely connection and mutual respect even more remarkable to witness, given the delicate situation at hand. Kenna and Ledger are constantly torn between what’s right and wrong, and both are battling the loss of Scotty and how things can change without any notice. Their eventual mutual understanding allows them to break down their barriers and open themselves up to receive the good life can offer. After a tense moment when Kenna receives some devastating news, Kenna and Ledger sit in a field together, and he shows her sweet videos of Diem on his phone. It’s a touching interaction, and the naturalistic lighting adds to the melodramatic tone this film indulges in (perhaps too often).
A prominent thematic hook is how grief manifests differently for Kenna, Ledger, and Scotty’s parents, Patrick (Bradley Whitford) and Grace (Lauren Graham). Potentially due to several different factors, their characters were underutilized. If a driving plot point was introduced that focuses on an event that had happened in the past with Scotty to cause their severe resentment of his death to fester for all these years, and how that manifested in their hostility towards Kenna. While it is believable that they were in survival mode and doing what they thought was best for Diem, something was missing: more confrontation, dramatic escalation, and higher stakes. Yes, these people are flawed, struggling, and dealing with the aftermath of losing a loved one the best that they can. However, when the ending doesn’t feel entirely earned, it’s challenging to look past how specific aspects could have been addressed or handled differently to merit a happy outcome.
Reminders of Him is a hopeful and inspiring film with an impressive creative team behind it. Maika Monroe and Tyriq Withers are a delightful pair to watch and root for, and their raw vulnerability and compassion shine throughout. While there’s much to admire about the film, Scotty’s parents needed more screen time and another scene illustrating a full-circle healing moment with Kenna that felt grounded and realistic. The resounding message is clear: ultimately, life always finds a way, and when it does, it’s spectacular.
