"After" is a dramatic teen romance from the female perspective, based on Anna Todd's best-selling novel. In the story, a young and inexperienced girl is drawn in by a dark and mysterious man with a troubled past. The direction is by first-time director Jenny Gage and the feature already has a confirmed sequel, also based on Todd's work. The cinematography and production design are praiseworthy, and the story is tailored to engage only the teen audience, who share the same concerns as the protagonist.
Continuation of the 2019 feature film, also an adaptation of the book written by Anna Todd. 'After We Collided' follows the protagonist trying to forget the tumultuous relationship she experienced in the first movie. This new plot follows the same problematic line as the previous one and ends up being a reflection of society when it addresses how women end up tolerating toxic relationships because they think that is what love is. The production has a solid cast, captivating soundtrack for the teenage audience, but unfortunately the plot is complicated and can be harmful to young people. It is delicate to analyze a movie in 2021 and identify what we can call the romanticization of an abusive relationship. Maybe this type of narrative should be watched with an alert of what we should avoid in interpersonal relationships.
After We Fell, following their tumultuous relationship in the second movie, the couple Hardin (Hero Fiennes Tiffin) and Tessa (Josephine Langford) seem to finally face the reality of life in the third chapter of the franchise, 'After We Fell'. Directed by Castille Landon ('Fear of Rain'), the feature film spends 99 minutes showing the ups and downs of this couple, based on a successful novel by author Anna Todd. They drift apart, get hurt, and then come back together. When they fall in love again, something else comes up to separate them once more. And so on. The only thing that changes is what keeps them apart and brings them together: flirting with the waiter, an unexpected friend, getting drunk, etc., etc. There's no real complication in this situation, nor anything that really moves the story forward. There is even a certain beauty hidden in this void, which speaks a lot about modern relationships today: fleeting love, hidden relationships, and so on. But obviously, the director can't turn this material into something interesting. After all, more than a bad story, she has a problem that breaks any possibility: one of the worst actors of her generation on screen. Even though Langford does well in the scenes, Hero Fiennes Tiffin remains a complete disaster - even more so in this movie, which has no story and demands more from the actors on screen. Some moments are embarrassing. In the end, 'After We Fell' may be the least bad of the three movies released so far. Maybe because it has less story and less room for error. But in the end, there's still that question: why? Why another movie, why invest in this story that simply can't find room to grow and go beyond? It might be time to say goodbye. But there are more movies coming for the delight of fans who, without a doubt, have had fun with the story of this teenage couple again.
