The 2025 film Regretting You released on Oct. 24 is an emotional drama based on the best-selling novel by Colleen Hoover. The film was directed by Josh Boone and was written by Susan McMartin. It tells the story of a mother and daughter who must face harsh truths and learn how to love again after a tragedy tears their family apart. It stars Allison Williams as Morgan Grant and McKenna Grace as her daughter, Clara. The cast also includes Dave Franco as Jonah Sullivan, Morgan’s longtime friend, and Mason Thames as Miller Adams, who plays Clara’s boyfriend in the film.
The movie begins with an opening scene of Morgan finding out she is pregnant in high school, and how she must give up her dreams and future plans in order to raise her daughter, Clara. Years later, Morgan is now married to her husband Chris, and Clara is preparing to go to college. Their life seems to be going well until a terrible car accident kills Chris and Morgan’s sister, Jenny. The tragedy leaves the family in shock. On top of this news Morgan finds out that Chris and Jenny had been having an ongoing affair prior to this. This realization changes everything Morgan had thought about her family and herself.
As Morgan tries to rebuild her life and move on, Clara is struggling and doesn’t understand why her mom is acting so controlling and distant. During this time of uncertainty, she meets a boy named Miller, who serves as a way for her to cope with the grief of losing her dad. Their friendship will eventually evolve into a romantic relationship.. Meanwhile, Morgan reconnects with Jonah, who was Jenny’s husband before the accident. Jonah is also trying to deal with heartbreak, and they start to find comfort in each other as they try to navigate through the pain and loss they both are suffering from.
“I think Clara confiding in Miller and Morgan connecting with Jonah again is a healthy and good way for both of them to move on and heal from the pain they have been through,” said sophomore Julia Finkelstein.
As Morgan and Josh spend more time together, they start to form a bond and connect with each other over their grief. Their friendship slowly turns into something more, but Morgan starts to feel guilty knowing that Jonah was once with her sister. This adds more conflict to the story, as Morgan struggles to decide whether or not she deserves to be happy again after everything that has happened.
At the same time, Clara and Morgan’s relationship continues to go downhill. Clara is not able to realize that Morgan’s overprotective side comes from fear and love, not anger. Instead of recognizing this, she feels misunderstood and keeps her feeling bottled up. Miller helps her cope with her feelings and is an escape for her from everything that is going on. He teaches Clara how to express her emotions in ways that are beneficial and healthy. Their relationship allows Clara to heal and move on from the traumatic events she has been through.
“I understand both sides of the story. Morgan is trying to deal with the loss of her husband and sister and at the same time is trying to stay strong for her daughter, while Clara just thinks her mom is just being strict for no reason. She doesn’t realize how much Morgan really cares for her, and because of this they can’t seem to work out their problems,” said sophomore Jordan Restivo.
One of the most important parts of the film is how it explores the complicated relationship between Clara and Morgan. They both are stubborn and have their own strong opinions, but neither of them are willing to fully understand each other and talk about how they feel and what they are going through. The movie flips between both perspectives and sheds light on what each of them are thinking and feeling.
“I really liked how natural Clara and Morgan’s relationship was. It wasn’t perfect and there were definitely ups and downs throughout the movie but that’s what made it feel real and relatable,” said sophomore Liza Zlotoff.
Allison Williams perfectly captures the pain of losing a husband and a sister, while displaying the strength of a mother who is trying to keep her family together throughout the film. McKenna Grace also does an impressive job as she portrays the confusion, anger, and sadness a teenager would experience after so much grief.
Overall, Regretting You is a touching story about forgiveness, grief, and the complicated relationships between mothers and daughters. It shows how love can be messy and painful but can also help people survive and get through the hardest times. It reminds us that everyone has regrets, but forgiveness is what truly helps us move forward. The film stands out as a realistic and emotional drama that many families can relate to. It demonstrates that even in the middle of heartbreak, love can still be found.