Prison behind her, an ex-con gets a romantic reboot in ‘Reminders of Him’

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Colleen Hoover’s characters are incredibly easy to sympathize with, even when they’ve faced a lot of hardship. She’s become incredibly popular for writing stories about women who have overcome difficult lives, carrying on the tradition of emotionally-charged romance found in the work of authors like Nicholas Sparks, but often focusing on different kinds of trauma.

Vanessa Caswill’s “Reminders of Him” is the third movie based on a Colleen Hoover novel in just three years, and the first that Hoover herself co-wrote the screenplay for, alongside Lauren Levine. Similar to the previous adaptations, “It Ends With Us” and “Regretting You” (which dealt with domestic abuse and adultery, respectively), the main character faces significant hardship before finding love. This film adds another layer of difficulty: the protagonist is an ex-convict who spent six years in prison after accidentally killing her boyfriend in a drunk driving incident.

After being released from prison, Kenna (Maika Monroe) returns to Laramie, Wyoming, the hometown of her deceased boyfriend, Scotty (Rudy Pankow). Through flashbacks, Scotty is portrayed as a cheerful and playful guy – someone Kenna, who seems to have no family or friends, clearly relied on. However, she doesn’t come back to mourn him with flowers. Instead, she immediately removes the cross marking the spot where he died, explaining that he wouldn’t have wanted a memorial.

Kenna is determined to meet her 5-year-old daughter, Diem (Zoe Kosovic), who was born while Kenna was in prison. Diem’s name means ‘seize the day,’ reflecting Kenna’s desire to finally connect with her child, though the story avoids overly dramatic moments about this. However, Diem’s grandparents, Grace and Patrick (Lauren Graham and Bradley Whitford), have never approved of Kenna and are considering a restraining order, worried she might try to take Diem.

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The situation is clear: Kenna needs to demonstrate she’s fit to be Diem’s mother. Her only potential supporter is Ledger, a friend from Scotty’s past, who is initially attracted to her. However, once he discovers her true identity, he turns against her as well.

The movie begins with a beautiful shot of snowy mountains, which sets a slow, deliberate tone – the story unfolds at a very measured pace. (Interestingly, the book jumps right into the romance between Kenna and Ledger, and then reveals their complicated history.)

The movie starts off powerfully, showing Kenna struggling to find work. She doesn’t have a car or even a phone, and her criminal record makes things even harder. At one grocery store, the manager coldly rejects her after lecturing her about respect – a scene that feels painfully realistic. Luckily, the manager’s assistant, Amy (played by country singer Lainey Wilson in a brief but impressive film debut), sees Kenna as a person and offers help. Amy even asks, “What’s your trauma?” – and Lainey Wilson delivers the line with just the right touch, avoiding any awkwardness.

The connection between these two women felt genuinely heartfelt, and I could have happily watched them support each other through their difficult lives for much longer. Unfortunately, the movie quickly shifts focus to a larger, more predictable storyline about family – a plot point that overshadows everything else, including the compelling relationship between Kenna and Ledger, which is ultimately why viewers are invested.

The direction things are heading feels inevitable, much like the tragic accident that took Scotty’s life on the only road leading in and out of town. As the story suggests, his presence lingers everywhere, even in small things like Diem’s laughter.

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Colleen Hoover shared that her novel ‘It Ends With Us,’ now a movie starring Blake Lively and Justin Baldoni, draws inspiration from the difficult experiences of her mother’s past abusive relationship, and she explained why she chose those actors for the film.

The film requires patience; it centers on Kenna and Ledger gradually learning to trust each other through lengthy conversations about a little girl who isn’t often present. (When she is on screen, she’s delightful.) While the cinematography occasionally captures the beautiful landscape, most of their scenes take place inside or near Ledger’s iconic orange truck. However, these conversations in the car become repetitive. Fortunately, Monroe and Withers share good chemistry, and they genuinely try to bring life to this developing romance.

Ledger describes Kenna as “the saddest girl in the world,” and her melancholy actually contributes to the story’s popularity. This idea is reinforced when Kenna claims the radio only plays depressing songs. Ledger tries to disprove her, but every station plays sad music, until they finally share a relieving laugh. Throughout this, the soundtrack, featuring acoustic country and even Coldplay covers, remains surprisingly upbeat and charming.

Hoover excels at creating realistic settings. Her descriptions of small towns – with closed bookstores or rundown bars – feel authentic because she clearly understands these places and intentionally chooses them for her stories’ hopeful conclusions. Caswill shares this talent, adding believable details, such as Kenna briefly checking the price of a toy she might buy for Diem.

I was really struck by how refreshingly real Sydney Monroe’s character, Kenna, felt. She’s miles away from the typical rom-com lead – forget the glamorous boutiques and perfect hair! Her look is genuinely…lived-in, like she’s doing her hair in a less-than-ideal bathroom because it’s all she can afford. The apartment complex she lives in is called ‘Paradise,’ which is a little too on-the-nose, honestly. The owner, played brilliantly by Jennifer Robertson, offers her a rent break if she’ll take a kitten. I didn’t see any evidence of cat care – no litter box in sight – but the little thing is pretty adorable.

Ledger is a fascinating character: an ex-NFL player who enjoys looking after his niece, Diem, and has a unique style—think fitted shirts and a self-built cabin worthy of a design magazine. Despite owning a bar, the people who hang out there don’t drink. Withers, who played football at Florida State, previously played a similar athlete in the visually stunning but confusing horror film “Him.” It’s refreshing to see an actor with authentic athletic movement and a naturally respectful demeanor, likely learned from team sports. While his character feels a bit unbelievable, Withers commits to the role and makes it work.

Okay, so there’s this character, Lady Diana, played by Monika Myers, who lives in the same building as Kenna. She’s a teenager with Down syndrome, and honestly, she’s the most genuinely funny part of the movie. She just shows up in Kenna’s apartment whenever she wants and helps move the story along by, like, bluntly asking what’s going on. It’s hilarious and kind of heartbreaking – she straight-up asks Kenna why she’s so broke and then follows it up with, ‘Why are you so sad?’ It’s a really direct way of getting to the heart of things.

“Reminders of Him” would be better with more romantic moments and less time spent on drawn-out scenes of characters driving and talking. The constant rain feels overdone, and it’s hard not to notice the irony of seeing Whitford’s grandfather furiously watering his lawn while it’s pouring.

The movie eventually feels rushed after a slow start, resorting to a quick ending. What remains are a few memorable scenes, like Kenna and Scotty’s charming first encounter at a dollar store, their awkward conversation after sleeping together, and a particularly moving moment when another inmate offers Kenna supportive advice that encapsulates the film’s core message – something it spends almost two hours trying to convey.

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2026-03-12 22:31