Currently, many people on social media claim that contemporary films have lost their “spark” and are no longer as entertaining or exciting as those from the 2000s or earlier. Reminders of Him certainly breaks this stigma.
As someone who has never shed a tear during a movie, Reminders of Him was a first for me. The film dives into dramatic, emotional, and somber ideas within its erratic storyline, which is sure to invoke a reaction. If you’re like me and are confident that a film would never make you cry, this movie is sure to disprove that.
Released March 13 this year, the film is an adaptation of the book by Colleen Hoover, released in Jan. 2022. It follows Kenna Rowan (Maika Monroe), a mother who was recently released from prison after a freak car accident involving her boyfriend, Scotty Landry (Rudy Pankow). The film is centered around Kenna trying to get back to her daughter and regain custody while dealing with grief, depression, and a very unexpected love story.
I have found that recently released films attempt to use relevant songs in the movie, and while this seems like an effort to appeal to a more modern audience, it often misses the mark. However, the Reminders of Him soundtrack included songs that are relevant to the story, feature significant symbolism, and appeal to a young adult or teen audience, all at the same time.
Songs like “Funeral,” by Phoebe Bridgers, “Yellow,” by Coldplay, “The Great Divide,” by Noah Kahan, “Ordinary,” by Alex Warren, and so many more have both enhanced the overall meaning of the film and were signature tunes that many people in the audience can easily recognize.
“Yellow,” by Coldplay, in particular, was played numerous times and served as a noteworthy symbol that helped the audience understand the director’s intentions and the intended emotional response. When the accident occurred, Kenna and Scotty were seen driving while listening to the song before they got into an accident that ended up killing Scotty. Later, while Kenna was getting snow cones, she discovered that her daughter’s favorite color is yellow. While such a small detail may have gone unnoticed by some audience members, intricacies like this are consequential for a deep understanding of the film’s complex themes.
Aside from the symbolism and soundtrack, the plot was questionable. While this movie checked all the boxes for me —dramatic, sad, romantic, and meaningful—the unexpected love story that unfolds about halfway through throws the audience for a curveball—perhaps not a subjectively positive one. I love a good romance movie; however, not every male-female friendship should result in romance, particularly when the dynamic is as confusing and complicated as Kenna’s. Reminders of Him can certainly make viewers question Kenna and her new lover’s morals.
Stylistically, I agree that the soundtrack, symbolism, and the character development Kenna endures are inspiring and resonant. However, morally, I felt disconcerted. If the directors and producers had focused more on Kenna changing for the better to regain custody of her daughter, it would have been more effective and an inspiring, heartwarming plotline. However, the addition of the random romance shifted the plot and theme from the moving and touching mother-daughter dynamic to a pointless and questionable idyll.