Displaying items by tag: Scott Eastwood

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?

I WANT YOU BACK

US, 2022, 116 minutes, Colour.

Charlie Day, Jenny Slate, Scott Eastwood, Gina Rodriguez, Manny Jacinto, Clark Backo, Pete Davidson, Jamie Gertz.

Directed by Jason Orley.

This twist on romantic comedies is more enjoyable than it might sound. The characters are well developed, especially the central characters of Peter and Emma, played by Charlie dealing with his continual patter style, Emma by Jenny Slate, seemingly ditzy but having more depth.

The film opens with two breakups and the consequences for those abandoned. Peter and Emma work in the same building, and weeping in the same stairwell, share their stories, make the plan that each will breakup the new relationship with their former partners.

Emma, this is going to a theatrical group, working with children, putting on a musical, her helping, singing a song, getting the attention of the director – and, her ultimate tactic, suggesting a threesome which he is enthusiastic about but which Peter’s former partner disapproves of. She decides to take Peter back.

On the other hand, Peter befriends Noah, Scott Eastwood, going to the gym, developing a friendship, a kind of romance, meeting the owner of the pie shop, Clark back oh, and failing to break up this romance when Noah proposes and is accepted.

How to bring this all 20 and? Both are invited to Noah’s wedding, the awkwardness, the interactions, Emma upset, Peter awkward, but the finale, nicely on a plane home, a situation I have discussed about true love and who helps a fellow passenger to oxygen, helping themselves first or helping the one-day Love first. And this is the nice ending for Peter and Emma.

1. Romantic comedy with a difference, romances, breaking up romances?
2. The title? Peter and Emma? The scenes of the breakup, Peter at the party, the children, clowning, and and her declaration, six years, wanting to be an actress, the separation? Emma, chatting and eating, no way and his breaking with her, her reaction?
3. The two working in the same building, Emma and the orthodontist, weeping? Peter, the board, care for the elderly, saving money and conditions, his reaction, the two in the stairwell, meeting, sharing, the meeting, the decision to undermine the new partnerships?
4. Emma, her going to the theatre, the encounter with Logan, meeting And, Little of horrors, her helping, singing the song for Audrey? Logan and the attraction? The young boy, surly, his work, clashing with Emma, her talking, being straight with him, the good interaction, her further helping him, the future? The episode of the invitation for the threesome, Emma, bold, Logan wanting it, And and her reaction, walking out?
5. Peter, going to the gym, the help from Noah, their friendship, and the gym, sharing? No meeting Jenny and her work with the pies? Buildup of the bromance? Going to the party, the underage girls, the dancing, the pool, Peter leaping into the pool, the father coming home, there are escape?
6. Peter and Emma and their meeting, comparing notes? Emma and her achievement, Peter and his haste, going to And, the seeming reconciliation?
7. Peter invited to the wedding, Noah inviting Emma, on the boat, the tensions, the eventual revelation of the truth, Noah and his punching out Peter? Emma and her upset? The breaking of their friendship?
8. The return flight, sitting marriage other, the previous conversation about helping with the oxygen, helping someone loved before oneself, and this happening on the flight home? The happy ending?