November 10, 2025 by Olivia Clemmensen (‘26)
Premiering on American silver screens on October 24, 2025, Regretting You was a highly publicized and anticipated movie remake of Colleen Hoover’s 2019 novel. While I have yet to read the book, I was extremely intrigued by the beautifully complicated and romantic drama that was the film. The film chronicles the close relationship of rebellious and jaded teenager Clara Grant (played by the one and only Mckenna Grace) and her down-to-earth and somewhat closed-off mother, Morgan Grant (played by Allison Williams), as they navigate the complexities of a life-shattering tragedy.
At the beginning of the film, Clara Grant’s now parents, Morgan and Chris, along with Morgan’s sister, Jenny, and her boyfriend, Jonah (played by Dave Franco), are at the peak of their high school years, hanging out together at parties and bonfires, pools, and road trips. Morgan ends up getting pregnant at 18, which forces her and her high school boyfriend to get married and start an adult life together. Years later, Morgan’s sister Jenny also gets back together with her high school sweetheart Jonah, and the four remain a close family as Morgan and Chris raise their daughter Clara. What made me so happy with the execution of this start was that the filmmakers were able to make the actors playing the two couples play their younger selves. Usually, a choice such as this can appear forced; however, I thought that this flashback in particular was quite successful. With subtle changes to hair and makeup, as well as fashion choices suiting the 80s style of the parents’ childhood, the transition from the high school memories to the “present day” of the film was effective and satisfying.
A little later into the movie, Morgan and Jonah, Clara’s uncle, receive news that both their partners died together in a car accident. As they both arrive at the hospital separately, time seems to stop as they both realize the unthinkable: they were having an affair. That’s why they were together in that car. This moment of realization comes over the viewers in a wave of confusion, anger, and sadness. While this sounds like I am spoiling the movie by saying this, this event is in maybe the first 10 minutes of the film, as the rest of the movie follows Clara, her mom, and Jonah in how they proceed to navigate their lives through heartbreak, shock, and loss following this event. Along the way, Clara meets Miller Adams, the classic high school bad boy heartthrob, their paths crossing multiple times through the chaos of Clara’s life after the death of her dad and aunt, adding an entire other factor into the complicated life of the Grants.
The casting of this movie was incredible, with the entire cast having so much chemistry and connection. The onscreen (and later confirmed offscreen) romance between Mason Thames and Mckenna Grace was perfect for this film, and Clara and Miller’s slow-burn love story and dynamic was executed perfectly with these actors’ talent and ability to make raw emotions come to life for their characters. And not to mention the chemistry between Allison Williams’ character Morgan and Dave Franco’s Jonah was mature yet explosive, even in the most silent of interactions between the two.
The movie captured the humor and complexity of 2020s teenager life through Clara and Miller, yet the nostalgia and chatter of a 2000s TV series like Gilmore Girls somewhat mimicked the mother-daughter relationship shared between Lorelai and Rory Gilmore. As a die-hard Gilmore Girls fan, I will naturally find connections to that series in anything, but one of the sole similarities in both of these mother-daughter duos is that in both storylines, they rely on each other for stability not only as family but also as friends. Morgan and Clara share a bond that is highlighted throughout the film that is not just entertaining but also real and messy too. Even in the smallest traditions of crafting vision boards together, their strong relationship is shown as the central pillar of the movie, as well as their journeys in finding themselves. Morgan learns to grow into herself more and cultivate her passions, and Clara learns to navigate life as a young adult and discovers her self-worth, all while leaning on each other as they tackle love, loss and find themselves through it all. This was one of the things I liked most about this movie—how in each character there was a journey of growth and finding one’s identity, each in different ways. This made the movie all the more appealing and relatable to a broader audience.
What brought this movie to another level, in my opinion, was not the romantic love confession in the rain (while still making the theater cheer and clap) or the emotional scene in the hospital, but the small details and symbolism as simple as the bag of watermelon Jolly Ranchers, Morgan’s sketches, the kitchen door, and the city limit sign, all of which are small yet add to the depth and drama of the storyline. And no, I will not tell you what those all mean, for I fear I will spoil it. This movie was jam-packed with emotion, in which I felt every ounce of it from my seat, tears and all. It was relatable and touching in a way I was not expecting, as well as being a great excuse to see Mason Thames.
Regretting You | Official Trailer (2025)- McKenna Grace, Mason Thames, Allison Williams, Dave Franco