Let’s be honest — The Notebook set a high bar for romantic films in modern cinema. Those projects that tried to mimic it inevitably paled in comparison. It was lightning in a bottle, and you can’t simply recreate that kind of magic. So now, instead of trying to bring great romances to the screen, studios rejig the same formula over and over again. They may star attractive people, but the stories are flat and predictable. They trade character development for grand romantic gestures and call it a day. Reminders of Him is just another notch on the corporate bedpost.
Kenna (Maika Monroe) returns to her hometown after her release from prison. Her first tasks include finding an apartment and getting a job. The former proves easier than the latter. But these are the basic functions of a responsible adult, and Kenna wants to prove she’s dependable so that she can see her daughter, Diem (Zoe Kosovic). Standing in her way are her deceased boyfriend’s parents (Lauren Graham and Bradley Whitford) and his childhood best friend, Ledger (Tyriq Withers). While Diem’s grandparents blame Kenna for their son, Scotty’s (Rudy Pankow), death, Ledger chooses to hear her version of events. As the two grow closer, Ledger is torn between his devotion to Diem and his attraction to Kenna.
The film is based on a novel by Colleen Hoover, whose work also inspired the movies This Ends with Us and Regretting You. While not having read any of the source material, there appears to be a common theme to all three pictures. They feature broken women trying to overcome some form of heartbreak only to discover the key to their recovery is another dreamy man.
The nearly two-hour film hits a narrative beat approximately every 30 minutes, exponentially increasing the story’s predictability. In the first quarter, Kenna finds her footing and is ready to show everyone she’s got her life together. Halfway through the movie, all the sexual tension between the two young, attractive characters finally explodes in a passionate kiss. It takes 90 minutes to reveal the details of Kenna’s past, which looms over the entire picture until then. Then it spends the closing section making sure everything works out for everyone, and with Kenna finding the redemption she seeks.
These aren’t really spoilers since these pictures recycle the same obvious storylines. If you’ve seen any of these movies over the last few years, you’ve seen them all. The repetition and lack of heart are tiresome.
Kenna’s past and present romances both follow classic tropes. Her first was a tale of opposites attract since she grew up in foster care, and Scotty had a white picket fence. Now, there’s the forbidden and complicated love of falling for your enemy. Of course, they stoked that fire before either Kenna or Ledger knew who the other was. This, however, feels disingenuous in the age of social media and video calling, given their mutual closeness to Scotty. Following a career-ending sports injury, Ledger becomes a chronic caregiver who wants to fix people. Consequently, he’s fairly quick to reverse his opinion of Kenna and offer her help.
There are other parts of the narrative that also seem to be disjointed. Diem has a unique and potentially meaningful name, but no one mentions how it came about. There’s also an element of Scotty and Kenna’s relationship that she seems unaware of, but they only reference it in a flashback. Then there’s the unusual and space-consuming way Ledger marks a certain anniversary for no apparent reason. All those details speak to a confusing and general lack of character development.
Withers stars in his second movie with “him” in the title within a year. This time, he brings a Channing Tatum quality to his role, only taller. Withers and Monroe have adequate chemistry, but it’s not knocking anyone’s socks off. She has a stronger connection with the girl with Down syndrome (Monika Myers) who lives in her building and speaks her mind. Yet, the most engaging personality in the film is the adorable, scene-stealing kitten that is pushed upon Kenna.
It’s strange that this film is hitting theatres nearly a month after Valentine’s Day, since that would seem like more optimal timing for its release. While it will still find an audience with fans of the author and hopeless romantics alike, it doesn’t have much to offer the average moviegoer.
Reminders of Him opens in theatres on March 13.
