Displaying items by tag: Lauren Graham

REMINDERS OF HIM

US, 2026, 114 minutes, Colour.

Maika Monroe, Tyriq Withers, Zoe Kosovic, Lauren Graham, Rudy Pankow, Jennifer Robertson, Lanie Wilson, Bradley Whitford.

Directed by Vanessa Casswill.

American novelist, Colleen Hoover, has become very popular in recent years. Reminders of Him is the third film from her series of novels.

In looking at the titles, there are clear terms of sadness, but also of looking back in sadness: It Ends with Us, Regretting You, Reminders of Him.

Each of these films focuses on relationships, some harshness in relationships, some violence, deceptions. However, there is more positive hope in Reminders of Him.

We are introduced to Kenna (Maika Monroe), arriving along an open country highway, stopping at an accident sign and removing the memorial notice. She is a loner, not much money, finding some accommodation, doing the rounds of the town trying to find employment. But we soon discover that she also has strong intentions. She has lived in this town before. And, gradually, flashbacks, telling a happy story of love and romance, telling a sad story of a car accident and death, of Kenna and the discovery that she was pregnant, the birth in prison, the immediate taking away of her child, her release and her determination to make contact with her daughter, now looked after by the child’s grandparents, parents of the young man who was killed in the accident.

Already, enough to make the audience feel very sad. And the grandparents, Lauren Graham and Bradley Whitford, have hardened hearts towards Kenna, and protective of their granddaughter.

But, ultimately, this is a film of hope, unlikely as it may seem in the early part of the drama. The key character is the grandparents’ neighbour, best friend of the dead son, Ledger (Tyriq Withers), sports champion with an injury, returning home, running a bar, but become seeing something of a surrogate father/uncle to the little girl, plenty of scenes of their happiness together. A very likeable character.

In our heart of hearts, we know what is going to happen but, of course, there are a great number of difficulties, obstacles, changing relationships, a lot of hurt, but always with the possibilities of understanding, breaking through hard heartedness. And the possibilities also of forgiveness which, over the years, has become unthinkable and therefore impossible.

Tyriq Withers is the sympathetic sports champion, responsible, wonderful with the little girl, encountering Kenna, hostile, seeing her in a different perspective, of course, falling in love, and having to be something of a mediator between Kenna and the grandparents.

Sometimes this kind of material can be dismissed as soap opera (and, sometimes, it is). But, there is a lot of feeling in this storytelling, in the performances, in the issues, some tearful moments for the characters – and for some of us in the audience.

1. Popular romance story? The writings of Colleen Hoover? Film versions? Target audience? The female audience?
2. The settings, middle America, the town, the countryside, the plains, the mountains, the roads? The musical score?
3. The complexity of the plot, the present, Kenna and her story, the return to the town? The importance of the flashbacks? The reminders of him?
4. The focus on Kenna, arriving, out of prison, the town, taking the sign from the road, getting accommodation, the small apartment, no furniture, her trying to get a job, the various helps, her reputation and sentence? Going to the club, the encounter with Ledger, his assistant?
5. Kenna and her establishing herself, going to the house, her daughter, the significance of the flashbacks, her love for Scotty, the lyrical times together, in love, to marry, the drinking, the drive, the crash, her leaving, wandering, trying to get the lift, his still being alive, her arrest, the trial, her pregnancy, manslaughter, the scenes of her giving birth, the taking of the baby, her never seeing or touching it? Her desire to see the baby?
6. At the apartment, the landlady and her reactions, later mellowing and friendship? The daughter, Down syndrome, friendly, at the store, sharing with Kenna? Calling Ledger a jerk?
7. The meetings with Ledger, his antagonism, Scotty as his friend, absent at the time of his death, blaming Kenna? The gradual change of heart, giving her a chance, the work, his friend and support, her relying on the work?
8. Ledger, across the street from the family, friendship with Scotty, sport, his career, injury, return, acting as a kind of foster father to the little girl, the scenes together, his relationship with the grandparents, their looking after the girl? Their animosity towards Kenna?
9. The growing complications, the relationship between Ledger and Kenna, his finding the sign? Falling in love, the difficulties in the relationship with the grandparents? Going to his dream house in the mountains, the grandfather turning up, finding the couple, the reaction?
10. Ledger, the fight with the grandfather, his trying to make the case, the grandmother, her reaching out, visiting Kenna?
11. The beginnings of the reconciliation, allowing Kenna to see the little girl, play with her, Ledger and his presence?
12. The gradual mellowing, the possibilities for the future, the little girl and her immediate response to Kenna, her imagining her mother, the small car, waiting for her to turn up?
13. The happy ending, happy/sad, the message of the film in terms of forgiveness rather than holding on to bitterness and the consequent cruel attitudes?

TWINLESS

US, 2025, 100 minutes, Colour.

Dylan O'Brien, James Sweeney, Aisling Franciosi, Lauren Graham.

Directed by James Sweeney.

We don’t often use the word Twinless in everyday conversation. Here it is used, in the context of twins, identical twins, when one has died and the other survives, trying to deal with life with the twin, life without the twin.

The film opens with the sounds of a car accident. Then a funeral follows, Ronan (Dylan O’Brien) serious-faced, good at the expressions of sympathy for the death of his brother, Rocky, and, in the aftermath, clearing his brother’s room, angry with his mother (Lauren Graham).

Dylan’s performance as Roman is highly effective, not the sharpest tool in the shed as he acknowledges, trying to manage life, full of angers, especially occasion when his brother came out as gay, left home, went to Japan, severed connections with his family. But, at a counselling group for the twin list, he encounters Dennis, claiming to have a deceased twin, Dean, and the two strike up something of an unusual friendship, Ronan, awkward, relying on Dennis as they go for supermarket shopping, then an increased in shared interests, a bonding friendship, Roman relying on Dennis and the audience realising that Dennis is a gay man, attracted to Roman.

Then, after quite some time, the credits come up and there is a flashback which alters very much our perspectives on Dennis and Roman. In fact, Dennis had been in a brief relationship with Rocky we begin to understand his attachment to Roman. (There are some flashbacks with Dylan O’Brien playing at Rocky, creating a quite strikingly different character from Ronan.)

This is a film not only about identity but also about loneliness and friendship. Audiences immediately appreciate Ronan and the connection with Dennis, sharing details of his life, confidences. But, we now know Dennis and his motivations, the complexities of his lying about twin brother, the consequences of the lie even as the bond grows between the two men. Then, there is a complication with the extroverted Marcy (A sling French eos who was so striking in the Australian film, Nightingale), receptionist at Dennis’s workplace, delighted to meet Ronan and he her.

There is humour throughout the film. There is a great deal of sadness. There is great deal of anger on Ronan’s part, and further antagonism with his mother. And, then there will be the truth, Marcy and her intervention, Ronan’s response to Dennis.

There is great deal of sensitivity in this film, something of a credit to James Sweeney, in his early 30s, writing the screenplay, directing the film, playing the part of Dennis.

1. The word twinless? Life with a twin, without it twin? And the therapy groups for twins who have lost the other twin?
2. A story of loneliness, of friendship, of deception?
3. The opening, the sound of the car accident, the moving to the funeral, Roman and his mother, grief, the range of friends coming and embracing, Romans awkwardness? The aftermath, clearing the room, his rage against his mother? Memories of rocky, their time together, the anecdotes, the shared bunks, the accidents…? Rocky leaving, severing connections, Japan? Gay, relationships?
4. Roman, the encounter with Dennis, talking, Roman not so sharp, ordinary, the supermarket, the increasing friendship, sharing?
5. The title after the so long, and the flashbacks, Dennis and his encounter with Rocky, the relationship, Dennis and his dependence, upset with Rocky seeing someone else, driving, on the street, the confrontation, the accident and Rocky’s death?
6. The new perspective on the friendship, Dennis and his stalking, in love with Roman, Roman not realising this, Dennis and sharing the experiences with Roman, ice hockey and trips, conversations? Dennis and his memories of rocky, the impact of the sexual encounter? Love for Roman, yet giving him space?
7. Dennis at work, the conversations with Marcy, at reception? Her party, in Dennis bringing Roman? Watching, wanting them to be together? Marcy, her extrovert personality, the bond with Roman? The increasing love, sexual encounters, together?
8. Roman and Dennis together, the group passing, the fake it in salt, Roman and his violent response? Punching? The issue of violence, going to the gym, his brother’s identity, exercising with Dennis?
9. The Christmas with his mother, the awkwardness, the arguments, Dennis and Marcy awkward, the exchange of gifts?
10. Marcy, breezy, yet noting times and dates, the issue of Genesis claiming to have a brother, a twin, his death? Marcy eventually confronting Dennis?
11. The therapy sessions, Dennis following Roman, his story about his twin, the airport phone calls and crash? The other members of the therapy group, their stories about their twin?
12. Dennis, finding the time to tell the truth, drinking, Roman’s reaction, punching?
13. The later meeting, apologies, coping with the reality, the shared sandwich – to take away? Leaving the audience to speculate about the future?