"Jolly Ranchers, AMC Theatres, Pepsi products, Stereolab, Lime LaCroix, Coconut LaCroix, Donna Tartt's The Secret History, the 2025 film Novocaine, Union Square, New York Magazine- what do all these things have in common? They're all given semi-prominent placement in the margins of Regretting You, Josh Boone's adaptation of the Colleen Hoover book of the same name. Their inclusion makes the already bizarre film, in theaters now, even more delightful and strange."
"When did Mckenna Grace's character Clara find time to see Carousel? How did they manage to navigate both AMC Theatres and Pepsi products when real AMC-heads know that AMC has freestyle machines that are specifically designed for Coca-Cola products? Are we actually supposed to believe that Allison Williams's character, Morgan, is a New York Magazinesubscriber? There are no satisfying answers to these questions, but thinking about them only enhances the rich text at hand."
"Regretting You is the latest in a long line of vaguely insane - or "absolutely psychotic," to quote our critic - romantic dramedies wherein characters fall in and out of love while tragedy unfolds around them. Mercifully, Regretting You doesn't carry the emotional baggage of last year's It Ends With Us, whose major players are still suing each other, or feature scenes of domestic abuse."
Regretting You features conspicuous placement of everyday brands and cultural touchstones, creating an offbeat, pleasurable viewing experience. The plot follows Morgan and Chris, a couple whose secret affair with Jonah and Jenny is revealed only after a fatal car crash kills Chris and Jenny. Morgan's teen daughter Clara, a theater kid, navigates school romance while coping with the aftermath. The film balances laughter and tears without depicting domestic abuse, and it avoids the legal entanglements of comparable recent adaptations. Performances and production design lean into surreal, semi-prominent props that amplify the film's bizarre, emotionally charged tone.
Read at Vulture
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