Movie Review: ‘Reminders Of Him’

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Review by James Lindorf

Colleen Hoover self-published her debut novel, “Slammed,” in January 2012. Since then, she has sold 20 million books, and in 2023, she was named one of the 100 most influential people in the world by Time magazine. She isn’t taking things for granted, and even though “Reminders of Him” is the third adaptation of her work to hit the big screen in 18 months, she is continuing to expand her roles. She started as just the author, then became an executive producer, then a producer, and now is part of the screenwriting team with Lauren Levine. Taking the helm of “Reminders of Him” is Vanessa Caswill, who has experience with strong women and romance thanks to 2017’s “Little Women” and Netflix’s “Love at First Sight.” Universal Pictures will bring “Reminders of Him” to theaters everywhere on March 13th.

Seven years ago, Kenna (Maika Monroe; The Hand that Rocks the Cradle) was having the best day of her life, before the night turned tragic, ultimately claiming her boyfriend Scotty (Rudy Pankow) and Kenna’s freedom. After being released from prison, Kenna returns to her hometown of Laramie, Wyoming, hoping to rebuild her life and earn the chance to meet Diem (Zoe Kosovic), the daughter she never knew. To do that, she will have to win over Scotty’s parents, Grace (Lauren Graham) and Patrick (Bradley Whitford), who have yet to forgive her for what happened that night. Another roadblock and potential ally is former NFL player and local bar owner Ledger (Tyriq Withers; HIM), who was Scotty’s best friend. As Kenna works to prove herself, she and Ledger battle a torrent of emotions from anger and mistrust to compassion and attraction. Kenna knows her path is likely to end in heartbreak; she is doing her best to live in the moment, hoping for a second chance, and pushing herself forward.

There are two elements in “Reminders of Him” that take it well beyond the common Lifetime or Hallmark Channel fare. The first is the cinematography by Tim Ives (Are You There God? It’s Me, Margaret), which captures the sprawling landscapes beautifully. But more importantly, it is how the mood and setting of each scene are wonderfully lit. When Kenna is alone in her apartment, it is dusky and heavy, while things are light and bright wherever Diem is. Ledger lives somewhere in the middle, acting as a bridge between the two worlds due to his relationship with Diem and his own guilt around Scotty’s death.

The film’s true strength lies in Maika Monroe’s performance, which runs the full gamut of emotions. She shines in every scene that isn’t stolen by Monika Myers, who plays her neighbor Diana. On the other end of the spectrum is Graham, who plays the loving grandmother well but is less successful as the grieving mother. Again, being the bridge is Withers, who is solid but unremarkable and underserved by the script. All of Ledger’s attention goes to Diem and then Kenna, never giving him a chance to process his grief and guilt fully. Monroe is the main reason to see this film, and it is only a matter of time before she has a breakout film that sees her challenging the likes of Stone and Buckley for various awards.

“Reminders of Him” runs a little long at 114 minutes before rushing through what should be key moments, and surprises no one with the path the story takes. However, with important messages about motherhood, justice, forgiveness, and love, and Monroe’s performance, “Reminders of Him” still earns a 3.5 out of 5, making it a solid date-night outing.
Rating: PG-13 (Sexual Content|Drug Content|Brief Partial Nudity|Some Violent Content|Strong Language)
Genre: Romance, Drama
Original Language: English
Release Date (Theaters): March 13th, 2026
Runtime: 1h 54m
Director: Vanessa Caswill
Producer: Colleen Hoover, Lauren Levine, Gina Matthews
Screenwriter: Colleen Hoover, Lauren Levine
Distributor: Universal Pictures
Production Co: Little Engine, Heartbones Entertainment