Movie Review: ‘Reminders Of Him’

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Reminders of Him is a beautifully well-told story about a woman trying to adjust to life after prison and reconnect with the daughter she never got to meet, which the daughter’s grandparents and surrogate father-figure are initially determined to prevent, until the latter begins to get to know her. Based on a 2022 novel by Colleen Hoover, the movie strikes a seamless balance of drama, romance, bleak social commentary, and hopeful optimism. The characters are well-developed enough for the story they are telling, and the plot feels realistic and does not rely on forced melodrama. I cannot compare the movie to the book because I do not read as much as I would like, but this movie does have me interested in at least listening to the audiobook. Overall, I rather enjoyed and would recommend the movie, either in theaters or when it is available for home viewing.

Maika Monroe (It Follows) plays the mother, Kenna Rowan, who was recently released from prison and returns home with hopes of reconnecting with her daughter, Diem. The movie spends a little time showing the difficulties of ex-cons reassimilating into the general population. Kenna rents a small apartment and tries to find a job at many locations, a few of which specifically state they have a policy of not hiring people with a criminal record, which really defeats the purpose of the alleged “rehabilitation” purpose of USA’s (for-profit) prison system. Luckily, Kenna meets a few people in just the right positions that are willing to give her a chance.

While visiting a bar that used to be a bookstore that her late boyfriend, Scotty Landry (Rudy Pankow), and her used to visit, Kenna meets the bar owner, Ledger Ward (Tyriq Withers), who happens to have been Scotty’s best friend and is now the surrogate father-figure to their daughter. They had never met because Ledger was away pursuing an NFL career during Kenna and Scotty’s courtship, so they do not immediately recognize each other. Kenna places Ledger when he gives her his name that night, but he does not place her until she tries to visit her daughter, who lives across the street from Ledger. All of this may sound contrived, but I thought it flowed naturally and reasonably realistically.

At first, Ledger’s goal is to protect Diem and her grandparents, Grace and Patrick (portrayed perfectly by Lauren Graham and Bradley Whitford, respectively), by keeping Kenna away. But Ledger quickly begins to see more in Kenna and offers support, including a job at the bar. The two slowly begin a romantic relationship, but Kenna is cautious because she does not want to ruin the structure that Diem enjoys.

The story has plenty of drama but is not overly dramatic. I will admit I shed a tear during one of the later scenes featuring Grace. There is also plenty of comic relief, great music, beautiful scenery, and a kitten. I love cats, so that was a big plus seeing the kitten in several scenes. I will also admit that I wasn’t fully immersed in the movie the entire time; there was one line of dialogue that made me think about behind the scenes issues: “What kind of person says ‘fricken’?” was the line to which my mental reply was “A person in a PG-13 movie that has already used their ‘F-bomb’”. Aside from that, I was largely invested in the story and the characters, and I might watch it again when it is out of theaters.