Reminders of Him centres on a woman recently released from prison after a terrible accident that changed her life forever, and explores the effects this has on her family and asks the question, do we deserve a second chance? Maika Monroe (Longlegs) plays Kenna in the film who is sentenced to 7 years in prison after a horrible accident, she returns to the small town she is from to look for her daughter who she has never met, as fate would have it she bumps into Ledger (HIM star Tariq Withers) who turns out to be the best friend of Kennas daughters father, he is also very much involved in the life of Diem the daughter after returning to the town to make sure she is supported after a failed career in the NFL forces him to open up a bar in the town! Kenna moves into a local motel complex, which has its own colourful cast of characters who help her on her journey.
I went into Reminders of Him fairly blind. I haven’t read the book by Colleen Hoover (It Ends with Us, Regretting You), so I was unaware of the story going in, but I was thoroughly engrossed from start to finish. The film is equal parts heartbreaking and heartwarming, offering a beautiful yet dark look into a very human story. It has a strong small-town atmosphere similar to something like Virgin River. You’re thrust straight into the story without a lot of detail at first, which may seem unusual to some viewers, but I actually enjoyed the puzzle-like approach to the storytelling. Information is slowly drip-fed to us as we get to know the characters more and more.
The chemistry between Maika Monroe and Tyriq Withers is beautiful. You really buy into the emotionally driven relationship that forms between them, especially as the accident from the past connects them both in very different ways. Watching how they each wrestle with that reality is compelling. The supporting cast is also excellent, and no one feels out of place. I must also mention the young girl who plays the daughter, Diem. She is fantastic and will absolutely warm your heart.
The film’s soundtrack feels like a throwback to movies of old, featuring great songs from Noah Kahan and Coldplay. These tracks add emotional weight to the scenes rather than pulling you out of them. There’s also a very meta joke in the movie when the characters discuss how sad music has become, which I found genuinely funny. While the movie is enjoyable overall, there are moments where the dialogue feels slightly flatter than you’d hope, especially in some of the more emotional scenes. It still hits you in the feels, as they say, but sometimes you just want that extra oomph to really push those tears over the edge (although I did come close towards the end). My only other small criticism is the flashbacks, which have an almost angelic colouring to them. Unfortunately, that stylistic choice didn’t quite work for me.
Overall, it’s worth your time checking Reminders of Him out if you want something that will break your heart and then warm it again. It’s a story that explores how easily we can judge others and be wrong, and how people can overcome tragedy and grow from it.
★★★
In cinemas March 13th / Maika Monroe, Tyriq Withers, Lauren Graham, Bradley Whitford / Dir. Vanessa Caswill / Universal Pictures / 12A
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