Cover Allison Williams as “Morgan” and McKenna Grace as “Clara” in ‘Regretting You’ (Photo: Paramount Pictures International)
Allison Williams as “Morgan” and McKenna Grace as “Clara” in ‘Regretting You’ (Photo: Paramount Pictures International)
1 / 1
‘Regretting You’, Colleen Hoover’s latest adaptation, trades grand romance for raw emotion, delivering a heartfelt look at love, loss and the fragile ties that hold families together
After the polarising reception of It Ends With Us, Colleen Hoover’s Regretting You makes its way to the big screen, bringing another emotionally tangled story of love, betrayal and forgiveness—this time centred on the messy, tender relationship between a mother and her teenage daughter.
Directed by Josh Boone, the film follows Morgan Grant (Allison Williams), her teenage daughter Clara (Mckenna Grace) and the tragic chain of events that upend their lives, forcing them to confront long-buried secrets, navigate grief and rediscover what family truly means.
Filled with the quiet ache of heartbreak and the resilience of reconciliation, Regretting You explores how love can both wound and heal—often in the same breath.
Warning: spoilers ahead.
More from Tatler: ‘A Big Bold Beautiful Journey’ review: how the film re-examines what it means to commit
Above Photo: Paramount Pictures International
Above Photo: Paramount Pictures International
Photo: Paramount Pictures International
1 / 2
Morgan, once a high school dreamer who put her life on hold after an unexpected pregnancy, now faces the painful unravelling of her marriage. When her husband Chris (Scott Eastwood) dies in a car crash—alongside her sister Jenny (Willa Fitzgerald)—she discovers a devastating betrayal that shakes the foundations of her family.
It’s a premise that promises depth, but Boone’s execution often falters. The film opens with promise—a nostalgic coming-of-age tone, glossy cinematography and a familiar blend of domestic intimacy and heartbreak—but quickly slips into melodrama. The pacing feels uneven, and key emotional beats are undercut by abrupt tonal shifts. One moment we’re knee-deep in grief, the next we’re whisked into a lighthearted rom-com sequence between Clara and her school crush Miller (Mason Thames).
See also: Tradition in motion: Ternocon Palaro 2025 celebrates terno on the field
Photo: Paramount Pictures International
1 / 5
Still, Regretting You isn’t without its saving graces. Grace delivers a strong, emotionally textured performance that captures both teenage defiance and vulnerability. Her chemistry with Thames brings a flicker of sincerity to the film’s otherwise formulaic narrative. Williams, meanwhile, grounds the story with restraint, though she’s often underserved by the screenplay’s thin emotional logic.
The film’s dual romances—Morgan and Jonah’s rekindled connection (Dave Franco) and Clara’s youthful love with Miller—mirror each other thematically but never quite click emotionally. Boone crafts several affecting moments, particularly when exploring communication and misunderstanding between mother and daughter, yet much of the dialogue feels airbrushed, leaving little space for nuance or silence to speak.
Above Photo: Paramount Pictures International
Above Photo: Paramount Pictures International
Photo: Paramount Pictures International
1 / 2
Visually, Regretting You bears the glossy finish of a streaming-era adaptation—beautiful but oddly sterile. It wants to be raw, but it’s too neatly packaged to ever feel truly lived-in. In the end, the movie may not elevate the Coleen Hoover cinematic universe, but it remains an easy, watchable melodrama that will likely please fans of the author’s heartfelt chaos. For everyone else, it’s a pretty, predictable story that tries to make you cry—and occasionally succeeds.
NOW READ
7 horror games to play by yourself (or with friends) this Halloween
Sam Morelos on found family, Filipino identity and finding truth in ‘Regretting You’
Anatomy of a go bag: how to build your survival kit for any crisis
Topics
Joan—“Anj” to some—first stumbled into the literary world through Stephen Chbosky’s The Perks of Being a Wallflower. From then on, she knew she wanted to tell stories—for everyone to read or perhaps simply for her older self to find again someday.
In high school, her love for writing intertwined with her passion for media and entertainment, drawing her to the glossy pages of magazines and online features about her favourite British boyband and Canadian singer. By college, she had found her rhythm in article writing and never stopped chasing stories worth sharing.
As Social Media Officer for Tatler Philippines, she shapes stories that capture moments in entertainment, culture and society. For leads or inquiries, feel free to reach her via joan.chan@tatlerasia.com or @joanntrc on Instagram.
