A romantic drama about a woman seeking a second chance after her boyfriend’s death, Reminders Of Him is a predictable, emotionally driven story that never quite leaves an impression.
Romantic dramas can be incredibly hit-or-miss these days. While two decades ago we got films like The Notebook and Brokeback Mountain, we now get stuff like Regretting You and A Big Bold Beautiful Journey. Not exactly the same thing, and in this case, it gets added to the latter list.
Reminders Of Him is about Kenna, a woman who has just been released from jail after being incarcerated for a situation that resulted in the death of her boyfriend, Scotty. Moving back to the town she came from, her goals are to get a job and a place to stay, and, most importantly, connect with the young daughter that she has never met. While looking for employment and visiting the locations that she used to love with Scotty, she runs into Scotty’s best friend, Ledger.
Based on a book of the same name, I suspect that this story works much more successfully in print. Kenna keeps a diary full of letters to Scotty, which she narrates aloud in the film, and even though the words are thoughtful, they never click emotionally for the audience.
This is an incredibly predictable film, so the moment that Kenna meets Ledger, you know how this is going to play out. You might not know the exact steps that will be taken, but you mostly do, and you’re mostly right. Unlike The Notebook, though, where you also know what will probably happen, you want those two people to be together, whereas here, you are just aware that it will.
The actors do a nice job with what they have, bringing a seriousness and tenacity to their roles. Tyriq Withers and Maika Monroe are both serious and quietly intense as Ledger and Kenna, and Lauren Graham and Bradley Whitford are burdened parents who love their granddaughter, but it is really Zoe Kosovic, as Kenna and Scotty’s daughter, who brings the film to life a bit. Her authenticity made you feel as if these actors built a bond with her before filming, and it comes through on screen. There are also a few genuinely cute scenes with Monika Myers, who plays Kenna’s friend.
There is nothing specifically wrong with Reminders Of Him other than the fact that it never jumps off the screen in any way. It is a harmless cookie-cutter romantic drama that some people will love because it is their “thing,” and others will find completely forgettable. And while I would happily watch this over Regretting You any day, the only thing I will remember about this movie in a few weeks is the child and the friend.
Runtime: 114 minutes
Motion Picture Rating: PG-13
Languages Spoken In The Film: English
Should You Watch It? No
Did I Cry? Nope
My Rating: 2/5 Stars
Available: Currently in theaters, to rent on Prime Video, or may be available for free on other streaming platforms
Romantic dramas can be incredibly hit-or-miss these days. While two decades ago we got films like The Notebook and Brokeback Mountain, we now get stuff like Regretting You and A Big Bold Beautiful Journey. Not exactly the same thing, and in this case, it gets added to the latter list.
