After such a controversial first novel-movie adaptation, is it truly possible for another Colleen Hoover adaptation to succeed? “Regretting You” says maybe.
The It Ends With Us movie, based on the novel by the same name, faced major controversy for its romanticisation of abuse. The pink, floral aesthetic that was criticised for disguising the true violence that occurs in the novel, combined with a recently ended lawsuit regarding a smear campaign between project co-leads, meant that the prospect of another Colleen Hoover novel-movie adaptation felt unlikely.
Recently, however, another Colleen Hoover novel, Regretting You, was adapted into a movie by the same name. The novel follows a teenage girl named Clara and her mother’s romantic relationships after the devastating loss of her father. The novel is an exploration of grief and the impact of choices: in relationships, careers, education, and ultimately deciding who to trust.
Unfortunately, the movie doesn’t capture these themes as well as the novel, and rushes through many of the books’ moments that highlight the internal struggles of the characters. The issue is not that elements of the novel are entirely absent. Many plot points are accurately portrayed, such as the love letters and Clara’s awkward birthday supper fiasco, but felt incredibly rushed through. The pacing of the movie is much quicker than the pace of the novel. While the novel interweaves Clara’s changing relationships with her family and partner, the movie does not clearly portray Clara, nor her mothers’ internal conflict between believed duty and what their hearts want. Limitations placed on movie duration is understandable, but the lack of internal monologue creates a disjointed storyline that changes how the audience sees the similarities between mother and daughter, and the tensions created by grief, both within themselves and with others.
While it was not the most important detail of the novel, the removal of the movie project that Clara and Miller worked on together made their relationship also feel more disjointed. It is only mentioned as Miller’s project – without Clara – and instead becomes a plot device for the movie’s romantic ending. My personal issue with this decision is that the project is what often connects the two together, as well as to other characters, like Jonah, who suggests the project and discusses it with others. The movie is thus transformed into a much simpler romantic coming-of-age movie with less development of personal relationships.
The positive reviews of this novel and film highlight the emotional pull of the characters’ plight – different as they may be – and the relatability of many of their struggles. While the adaptation is certainly not perfect with many of the scenes feeling rushed through, the reason for many people’s enjoyment may be attributed to how the film and novel makes people feel. Regretting You could certainly be described as a comfort read/watch, to entertain, and discuss with your friends. The movie has actors that are familiar, an interesting plot line with multiple relationships being explored, and a romantic setting that is well portrayed by the actors – common elements that people look for when choosing a film.
While Regretting You has taken an arguably better approach to its marketing and acknowledgment of the themes within than It Ends With Us, the attention towards the novel adaptation seems to be mixed. While certain fans of the novel provide positive feedback, there are just as many fans disappointed by the lack of depth and exploration of the traumatic experiences of the characters due to the short playtime of the movie.
Ultimately, while the presentation of the movie and novel helped create more positive attention for the novel Regretting You, there are still many issues surrounding Colleen Hoover. Some of these issues are creative – and could thus be improved before future launches, but other issues, such as the public opinion on Colleen Hoover, may be harder to sway.
Image Credit: Goodreads
