After Review

 

Genre: Drama, Romance

Run Time: 1 Hr 45 Min

Where I Watched: Netflix (US)

Released: 2019

Rating: 5.2/10 (IMDb)

Staring: Josephine Langford, Hero Fiennes Tiffin, Khadijah Red Thunder, Dylan Arnold, Shane Paul Mcghie, Samuel Larsen, Iranna Sarkis, Selma Blair, Poa Mia, Swen Temmel, Meadow Williams, Peter Gallagher, Jennifer Beals

Directed by: Jenny Gage

Writers: Susan McMartin, Tamara Chestna, Jenny Gage

Based off the novel After by Anna Todd

* Trigger Warnings: fighting, swearing, drinking, drugs, smoking, sex, cheating*

Summary:

This follows the main characters of Tessa and Hardin. Who meet during Tessas freshman year of college. It starts out all innocent then starts to escalate into them both having feelings for the other even though Tessa has a boyfriend during the first half of film. Till he realizes that there was more to Tessa and Hardin than just a “friendship”.

Tessa tries to fix the relationship with Noah till she realizes that it was to late and continues to fall into the familiarity that has Hardin. The person who seems to be there for her when she least expects it even when she doesnt want him to be. And because of this they start to escalate and they start to date. Even if it is a way for Tessa to rebound from losing her first love.

Her mother comes to tries and talk some sense into Tessa and wants to protect her. But Tessa doesnt want to hear it because she wants to make mistakes. Even if it means that Hardin breaking her heart in this relationship that she has found herself in. And then her other friend starts to warn her about Hardin because of the fact that they will be step brothers later in the film.

Even though her mom and her friend tried to warn her, it didnt hurt any less what she learned about Hardin when they were playing truth or dare towards the beginning of the film. She ends up making up with her mother and wants to get her life back on the right track. The one that doesn’t include Hardin.

Thoughts:

I think that this was a really strong first film to the After movie franchise. I haven’t read the books, but I think that the movie didnt include how toxic Hardin and Tessa was to the full effects as it was in the books. Which is something that I enjoyed. That yes, it did did have moments that showed how toxic that this couple could be, that it was something that most people go threw at the very least once in our lives. A relationship where both parties are toxic even if we dont see it till after we are both out of it. And that no matter how much we want to move on we go back to that person because of the familiarity that was there.

I think that the actors were picked greatly for this movie. And I think that the people that they chose to carry this franchise as Hardin and Tessa were great. The chemistry was there. Not only with the two main characters but with all of them. No matter how big their part in this first movie was. I think the chemistry between all the characters is what is going to help carry the movies that follow this first movie.

Would I Recommend:

I wouldnt recommend for teens under like 17 or so. I think that if a parent/gradian is going to watch it with a minor then I would suggest watching it alone first. Just because this could easily give ideas of a relationship like this is okay. 

And I would say the same things about the books as well. Even though I haven’t read the books, I would suggest reading them to see if it is suitable for a minor of a certain age. Just know that this based off fanfiction. *Which some popular books that we know and love (or hate) are based on.*

Rating:

3 out of 5 stars