Regretting You

In terms of life events, finding the one who completes you has to rank pretty high. Unfortunately, that happy moment can sometimes come with a lot of drama—but for the right person, those waves are worth riding to be together. For as long as movies have been around, romance has been portrayed on screen, often giving what some might argue as an unrealistic version of how love really works. That doesn’t matter much, though, because we like the feeling it gives us—and for the romantics out there, Regretting You is here to give you your fill.

For a group of friends, love has found a way. Morgan (Allison Williams) and Chris (Scott Eastwood) are together, as are Jenny (Willa Fitzgerald), Morgan’s sister, and Jonah (Dave Franco). Fast-forward seventeen years later, and Morgan and Chris are married with a daughter, Clara (Mckenna Grace), while Jonah and Jenny have just welcomed their first child. You could say life seems pretty great—until a phone call changes everything. Morgan learns that Chris has been in an accident. When she arrives at the hospital, she finds Jonah there too—Jenny was in the same accident, and tragically, neither survives.

Jonah and Morgan are shattered, as is Clara, who’s finding comfort in her own blossoming relationship with Miller (Mason Thames). But things are about to get even more complicated: Morgan discovers that Chris and Jenny had been having an affair long before their deaths. Now, Morgan and Jonah must navigate the heartbreak of betrayal while deciding whether to tell Clara the truth—a secret that, inevitably, won’t stay hidden for long.

Written by Susan McMartin and based on Colleen Hoover’s novel, Regretting You is one of those movies that gives melodramas a bad name. There’s a lot happening here—and of course, it wouldn’t be a melodrama without all the messy emotions—but this one often flattens real feelings while over-exaggerating others, making them feel less authentic. Add in the familiar tropes it follows, and it’s hard to find much genuine weight behind what it’s trying to say.

Regretting You never quite finds its footing and feels rushed in how it resolves its emotional arcs. It seems more focused on being inspirational than on allowing its characters to truly process what they’re going through. Some viewers might overlook those flaws, but the predictability makes the emotional destination far less compelling.

What does work, however, is the romance between Clara and Miller—thanks to the sincerity and chemistry of its young leads. Grace is captivating as Clara, and Thames continues to prove he has a bright future ahead. Their storyline feels grounded and tender, something the rest of the film lacks.

Ultimately, I didn’t completely regret watching Regretting You—there are a few strong moments that carry you through—but I wouldn’t rush to revisit it. I prefer my melodramas with a bit more coherence and emotional honesty about what they’re trying to say.