Watching “Regretting You” alone feels almost impossible. This multi-generational romantic drama practically demands a shared viewing experience, prompting gasps and chuckles from a collective audience. I’m still debating which moment garnered the loudest laugh: was it the endearing scene where teenage heartthrob Miller (Mason Thames) attempts to discreetly wipe smudged eyeliner from the impeccably styled Clara (Mckenna Grace)? Or perhaps it was Clara’s unexpected declaration of her virginity, interrupting a surprisingly chaste make-out session in a movie theater?
Helmed by Josh Boone, known for “The Fault in Our Stars,” and based on Colleen Hoover’s best-selling novel, this film centers on a mother and daughter grappling with immense family tragedy while searching for love in seemingly opportune places. The narrative is utterly predictable, following a well-worn formula, burdened by awkwardly written dialogue and disjointed editing. Yet, the cast members are its saving grace, delivering even the most outlandish lines with remarkable conviction.
Allison Williams delivers a standout performance, infusing Morgan Grant, Clara’s intensely overprotective mother, with her signature nasal deadpan and formidable Type-A demeanor. Morgan became a mother young, unexpectedly pregnant by her then-boyfriend, Chris (Scott Eastwood). Despite Chris being a charismatic but unsuitable “party boy,” they married and settled into his family home. Years later, Morgan’s younger sister, Jenny (Willa Fitzgerald), had a child after a one-night stand with her old high school flame, Jonah (Dave Franco), whom she now plans to marry.
This complex backstory is rushed through at an astonishing pace, starting with a brief prologue in 2007, followed by a deluge of exposition in the present day. Before the audience can fully grasp these intricate social dynamics, a devastating car accident shatters the family. Morgan, Clara, and Jonah are left in its wake, consumed by grief and haunted by questions about the true nature of Jenny and Chris’s lives.
“Regretting You” unfolds in Dylan, North Carolina, a charming, fictional small town adorned with idyllic farmhouses and white picket fences. Beyond the central adult couples, the town’s visible inhabitants mostly consist of Clara, an aspiring actress, and Miller, whose disheveled hair and flirtatious smile anchor the story in young adult romance. Grandparents, neighbors, and friends beyond this core group remain largely unseen, existing outside the film’s confined fantasy of domestic life and its inherent conflicts.
This idealized vision also carries a distinctly conservative undertone. While unplanned pregnancy is a pivotal theme in “Regretting You,” it’s consistently portrayed not as a choice, but as a disruptive event that pushes women into traditional partnerships and domesticity. The film acknowledges Morgan’s restricted circumstances, even showing a vision board item that reads, “Find your passion.” However, Morgan’s ultimate realization isn’t about breaking free from her confines, but rather about making her “cage” appear more appealing from the inside.
As the intertwined love stories of mother and daughter predictably reach their conclusions, even the film’s inadvertently humorous moments fail to breathe life into its otherwise stale and uninspired core.
Regretting You
Not rated. Running time: 1 hour 57 minutes. In theaters.