Displaying items by tag: Josh Boone

REGRETTING YOU

US, 2025, 116 minutes, Colour.

Allison Williams, Mckenna Grace, Dave Franco, Mason Thames, Scott Eastwood, Willa Fitzgerald, Clancy Brown, Sam Morelos, Ethan Costanilla.

Directed by Josh Boone.

Based on a novel by Colleen Hoover might be enough recommendation for audiences to see this film. Her novels have been highly popular, especially in the United States. There is an appeal to younger generations as well as to older readers.

There was a film version of It Ends With You. Now there is Regretting You. And early in 2026 there will be Reminders of Him. And Colleen Hoover fans will be glad to hear that there will be another film towards the end of 2026, Verity.

The initial appeal of Regretting You is with the younger audience, two couples, early 20s, their lives before them. Two are quiet. Two are eager extroverts. And then the revelation that one of them, Morgan, played by Allison Williams, is pregnant. And the father to be is Chris, played by Scott Eastwood (reminding audiences of his father, Clint). The other two in the group are the very outgoing Jenny (Willa Fitzgerald) and the quiet Jonah (Dave Franco). But, this is just a prologue.

The main action of the film in fact takes place 17 years later. Morgan is the devoted mother of her daughter, Clara (Mckenna Grace) and most of the action concerns this relationship. Morgan has been married to Chris all these years and he is still rather happy-go-lucky. Jenny has also grown up and is pregnant – and the revelation that Jonah who had disappeared 17 years ago has now returned and is teaching at the local school.

Will this simply be a pleasant family story? Or what will be the implications of the title, the regrets.

Needless to say, there will be some complications. Especially in the relationships of the older generation. But, the centre of the film soon becomes Clara, enthusiastic teenager, devoted to her father, often having emotional clashes with her mother, feeling her over-protective. She is very friendly with Miller (Mason Thames), both the same age, school experiences, bonding, ups and downs in their relationship. Then there is a car accident which turns everybody’s lives upside down – with a great number of regrets.

Depending on your life’s experience, there will be sympathies for some characters, irritation with the behaviour and attitudes of others. And, when things become rather dire, can there possibly be a hope of a happy ending? But who wants to leave the cinema feeling emotionally down? So, the ending is not without hope!

1. The popularity of Colleen Hewitt’s novels? Adaptations?
2. The Middle America setting, the small town of Dillon, 30,000+? A story of ordinary Americans?
3. The setting, the youngsters together, School memories, the outings, Chris and Jenny, outgoing, the games, together? The contrast with Morgan and Jonah, more introverted? And the news that will Morgan was pregnant, Chris the father?
4. 17 years later, Morgan married to Chris, their life together, domestic scenes, Clara, her age, admiration for her father, her relationship with her mother, her mother protective, mortgage retirement, not fulfilling ambitions, devoted to family?
5. Jenny, Morgan’s sister, younger, Morgan helping bring her up? Her relationship with Jonah? His absence, return, teaching at the school? Jenny pregnant? The gatherings?
6. The focus on Clara, independence, her father, her mother and the arguments? Her friendship with Lexi? The encounters with Miller? Discussions, his girlfriend? Their encounters, the attraction? Miller, moving the signposts for pizza delivery? Clara giving him a lift, meeting his grandfather, his grandfather’s comments? Smoking, lungs, illness?
7. Clara and her devotion to Jenny, the birthday party, the making of the cakes? Clara and her texting Jenny? About Miller? About her mother? The sudden stopping?
8. The accident, the deaths, the revelation of the affair? The impact on Morgan? The impact on Jonah? Not telling Clara? The funerals? Clara leaving, going with Miller, smoking, her mother tracking her on the phone, the confrontation? The further difficulties? Clara and her confiding in Lexi?
9. Miller at the diner, his friendship with Ethan, the showing of the films, the dates, Ethan awkward but skilful with the camera, Lexi and the relationship with Ethan?
10. The baby, Jonah and his devotion, suspecting that the baby was Chris’s? His reaction, separation, yet dependence on Morgan? The cave and the baby? Clara and the baby?
11. Clara, with Miller, the discussions about sex, her inviting him over, the window, the condom, his care, her reluctance? Morgan finding her, the reactions?
12. Morgan and Jonah, mutual support, the love from the past, decorations, the kiss, Clara finding them? Reaction?
13. The drama, Clara and her puzzle about Jenny and the stopping of the texts, the car, her discovering the truth?
14. The awkward birthday party, Morgan inviting Miller, Lexi present, tensions, Miller leaving?
15. The happy ending, everybody together, Miller’s grandfather and the inheritance, the background of studies, Jonah teaching them, scholarship to school, Clara getting in, not telling Miller, his eventually getting in – and his showing of the film, happy times?

STUCK IN LOVE

US, 2012, 97 minutes, Colour.

Greg Kinnear, Jennifer Connolly, Lily Collins, Nat Wolff, Kristin Bell, Logan Lerman, Liana Liberato. Voice of Stephen King.

Directed by Josh Boone.

Not to be confused with Stuck on You, 2003, also starring Greg Kinnear.

This is a first feature film from Josh Boone, later to make The Fault in our Stars and The New Mutants.

The film covers different aspects of love and relationships. At the core of the film is the story of celebrated author, Bill (Greg Kinnear), divorced now for three years from Erica (Jennifer Connolly) who is married again. He has not accepted the break. He lives down the street. He stalks his ex-wife, going at night looking at her window. She is aware of this and tries to dissuade him. She also urges him to develop relationships and he has casual sex with a neighbour on her way to collect her daughter from school, played by Kristin Bell who urges him to remarry.

The title then focuses on Bill’s to children. The older is Samantha (Lily Collins), talented author, 19 years old, bitter against her mother and the divorce, refusing to speak to her. She is hard with young men she picks up at bars and has one night stands. She is cynical in her attitudes which are also incorporated into the book she publishes. However, there is a young student in her college class, creative writing, who is attracted to her, speaks to her, she putting him down, he persevering, Louis (Logan Lerman). She is affected by his devotion, goes to his house to discover that his mother is dying of a brain cancer. Her book is launched by Professor with great aplomb, her father invited to speak to the guests and making a strong speech about creative writing, her mother coming from a book signing and her coldly asking her name, Louis urging her to be kinder.

Rusty (Nat Wolff) is the younger son, also a writer, living at home, his father urging him to get out. He does have a school friend they share marijuana. However, is attracted to a young girl in his class, Kate (Liana Liberato), writes a poem about her, recited in class, and beginning a relationship with her which has some good results, some disastrous results.

There is a climax at the book launch, Kate drinking too much champagne, collapsing, combined family going to rescue her – some violence with repercussions for Rusty.

There is a wishful optimism about the resolution of the film, that all could be well. The family reunite at the Thanksgiving dinner, Erica coming home, Samantha with Louis, how things ought to be (which sometimes irks film critics who want tougher, more difficult endings).

And, there is success for Rusty, Samantha sending Stephen King Rusty’s story, Stephen King phoning to say he had sent to a publisher and encouraging Rusty.

1. Title? The different kinds of love and relationships, freely entered into, broken, trapped?
2. An American story, the setting, the town, the beaches, homes, streets, schools, college, libraries, book signings, book functions? The musical score? Songs?
3. Bill at the centre of the film, age, writer, success and reputation, the marriage to Erica, Samantha and Rusty, the breakup of the marriage, the later revelation of his infidelity and Erica’s waiting for him, his stalking Erica, spying on the house, the sexual relationships with Tricia, his being stuck in love for Erica? Expecting her back, setting the place always at Thanksgiving?
4. The focus on Rusty, age, living at home, encouraged to write by his father, supportive of his sister, reclusive, friends at school, marijuana, the focus on Kate, seeing all her with the boyfriends, writing the poem, reading it in class, her favourable comment? The meeting, the conversation, the poem for her, his father urging him to go out, going to the party, observing Kate and the cocaine, the boyfriend, wanting to save her, punching the boyfriend, taking her home, meeting his father, the friendship, the outings, the developing relationship, her sexual experience, going to the cupboard, her Christmas gift?
5. Samantha, anger with her mother, refusing to speak to her, love for her father, supportive of Rusty, coming home, the publishing of the book, her father upset that it was not the book he worked on to with her, his calming down? Samantha, bitter, the casual relationships, picking up in diners? Louis, attracted to her, the conversations, coming back, her cynicism, putting him down? Gradual change, exchange of ideas and favourite books, listening to the CD in the car? Going to his home, discovering his mother, sick, the brain cancer?
6. Bill and Erica, the meetings, the discussions, the reminiscences, at the shopping mall? Erica and her concession? The fact that she had married again?
7. Samantha, the book launch, the professor and the welcoming, inviting Bill to speak, his quoting Raymond Carver, the response of the audience? Samantha bringing Louis? Rusty bringing Kate? Erica, waiting, coming in, the conversations with ? His urging her to speak to Samantha, Samantha’s coldness, signing of the book, asking her identity, Louis and his reaction?
8. Samantha and Kate, the issue of the champagne, the man at the bar, giving the drinks, Kate and further drinks, collapsing, being taken away? The whole group searching for her, finding her, rusty and the assault? Rescuing Kate? The later consequences, Rusty and his friend, the supermarket, the chase and the violence?
9. Bill and Samantha on the beach, his confessing her about his infidelity? A change of attitude, going to her mother?
10. Samantha sending Rusty’s story to Stephen King, Stephen King’s encouraging phone call and the effect on rusty?
11. The Thanksgiving dinner, Erica arriving, the others present?
12. The sentiment the end of the film, love, unstuck, renewed?