Going into “Reminders of Him,” I did not have high expectations due to it being another Colleen Hoover book adaptation. The movie aims to strike this emotional and tear-jerking spot, and while it has all the right ingredients to do so, it did not always hit as hard as it meant to. Kenna Rowan, played by Maika Monroe, returns to her life after being released from jail to find out it is not as easy as she thought it would be, and her life seems lonely from the start as she tries to find a job and is prevented from seeing her daughter.
One of the strongest aspects of the movie is Tyriq Withers’ portrayal as Ledger Ward, as his performance feels more genuine compared to Monroe’s, and it helps with a lot of the emotional depth required for the film. The relationship between Ledger and Kenna is complicated from the start, especially after they realize the connection they have with one another. The chemistry between the actors is great, as while it’s not overly dramatic, there is something there that does make the relationship interesting. Some of the more emotional scenes could have been much more heart-wrenching, but they fall flat.
The supporting cast is somewhat hit or miss, if you ask me. For example, Amy Mathews, Lady Diana and others help to inject a bit of hope into this movie. However, the parents in this movie are a different case altogether. While their delivery may not be that impressive, I believe that they could have done a lot better, especially considering that a lot of depth is required in portraying people who have lost their son in a tragic accident. They are playing it safe, while they should have really gone all out.
From a storytelling perspective, this film really explores the concepts of loneliness, second chances and the fact that love does not just go away even in the face of everything crashing down. The use of flashbacks allows the audience to see moments between Kenna and Scotty, which helps add context to the relationship. Scotty, portrayed by Rudy Pankow, is only seen through these flashbacks, and these scenes have the potential to be some of the most emotional in the film, which grew some more by the end of the movie. Kenna’s letters to Scotty as she tries to move on are a really interesting aspect in which some of the story is told through the letters. One thing that does stand out, however, is the soundtrack. The music does help make some scenes that could have been a bit underwhelming work quite well.
Overall, “Reminders of Him” is a decent movie to watch with good chemistry and an outstanding performance by Tyriq Withers, but it doesn’t quite reach the emotional potential it should have. It is a movie about starting over and finding love again, and while it was much better than I had expected going in, it just needed a bit more depth to really make it impactful.