The film adaptation of Reminders of Him, based on Colleen Hoover’s best selling novel, offers an emotional, and visually engaging take on a story that has already touched many readers’ hearts.
It explores serious themes like forgiveness, grief, and the overall struggle to mend past mistakes. While not all book-to-movie adaptations succeed, this one effectively captures the main message of the story while preserving key details from the novel.
The movie tells the story of Kenna Rowan, a young mother who is released from prison, and returns to her hometown in hopes of a reunion with her daughter. Kenna makes mistakes throughout the film, it’s clear that she carries guilt with her at all times. Maika Monroe plays Kenna and does an excellent job conveying her emotions, especially during the vulnerable moments.
Instead of revealing everything at once, the movie unveils Kenna’s past through a series of flashbacks, allowing viewers to understand her more completely.
One of the film’s strengths is how it evokes emotion without becoming overly dramatic. It avoids exaggeration, and instead relies on small moments, like facial expressions along with brief conversations, to convey how the characters feel.
The relationship between Kenna, and Ledger Ward played by Tyriq Withers is also significant. Their connection feels natural, and believable, making their scenes together some of the most engaging parts of the film.
Another strong point is how the setting aligns with the story. The film uses darker colors, and softer lighting adding to the serious, and emotional tone. Many scenes depict characters alone, highlighting the loneliness that often comes with grief, and regret. The music complements the story, being simple yet fitting well with the emotional scenes without being distracting.
However, the film does have a few imperfections. If someone is familiar with the book, there are some noticeable story elements that are omitted, or rushed, especially regarding side characters. This is common in adaptations, but it can leave some parts of the story feeling incomplete.
The main concern is that by leaving out important details from the book, the movie struggles to fully convey Kenna’s thoughts as the book does.
Despite these flaws, Reminders of Him remains a powerful film. It evokes strong emotions while prompting reflection on how people can change. The central message about forgiveness, and the idea that people are more than their worst mistakes is clear, and powerful throughout the film.
Overall, this adaptation stands out among Colleen Hoover’s three adaptations, making it the best choice for both fans of the book, and newcomers. Although it doesn’t include everything from the novel, it still delivers a meaningful story that conveys a lingering thought after viewing.
