Introduction
The romantic drama, After, directed by Jenny Gage, premiered in theaters on April 12, 2019 and is one of Anna Todd’s many best selling novels on Wattpad. The plot revolves around the reckless romance of Tessa young, played by Josephine Langford, an introverted overachiever in her first year of college, and Hardin Scott, a sullen and defiant British student, played by Hero Fiennes Tiffin. There have been reviews regarding how the film portrays romance, and its effects on the young audience, that have some merit, maybe even a devoted fanbase.
Plot Summary
Tessa Young, from the film’s perspective, can barely wait to get into college for the very first time, looking forward to a life full of possibilities. With a doting high school boyfriend, Noah (Dylan Arnold), and her caring mother, Carol (Selma Blair), she already has a perfect life mapped out for her. But when she meets Hardin Scott, everything shifts and goes haywire. Hardin, a troubled teenager with a penchant for literature, is the type of person who Tessa has always wanted but never knew.
Caught in the collision of passion and hostility, Tessa is first put off by Hardin’s enigmatic character. As their relationship develops into an impulsive yet heartbreaking romance, their love is borderline abusive. While Tessa waits at the edge of her seat for their relationship to bloom into something healthy, she soon realizes it is far more complicated. The single hardest blow to Tessa comes when he discovers that Hardin’s intention was to emotionally manipulate her in a bet he placed with his friends. Not knowing how to move forward, Tessa is faced with the agonizing decision of having to choose between losing herself and forgiving Hardin.
Cast and Crew
Director: Jenny Gage
Writers: Susan McMartin, Jenny Gage, Tamara Chestna
Based on: After by Anna Todd
Main Cast
Josephine Langford as Tessa Young,
Hero Fiennes Tiffin as Hardin Scott,
Selma Blair as Carol Young,
Dylan Arnold as Noah,
Inanna Sarkis as Molly Samuels,
Shane Paul McGhie as Landon Gibson,
Pia Mia as Tristan
Production and Cinematic Style
The novel gained popularity through Wattpad and was made into a movie is based off of fan fiction written by Anna Todd, who was inspired by One Direction. After becoming a well known novel, it was later developed into a movie. Director Gage, most well known for her documentaries brought a unique style and visualization to the movie which appealed to the broader demographic.
The warm intimate lighting alongside the close-up shots brings forth the emotions that reside in Tessa and Hardin’s relationship in a more vivid light. The artistic choices create an oddly dreamy quality to the romance in their relationship while also providing a stark contrast to the disarray that encapsulates the toxicity within. The pain and joy portrayed in the story are complemented with the addition of multiple artists like YUNGBLUD and Bea Miller.
Themes and Analysis
The Gravity of First Love:
After is a coming of age tale that rests on Tessa’s first love. This love take Hardin’s troubled persona pushes her out of her comfort zone, which changes her understanding of romance, security, and even personal development.
Toxic Romance:
The depiction of jealousy, emotional control, and even manipulation in Tessa and Hardin’s relationship has received its fair share of controversy. Critics point out that, while it is always cited that Hardin has suffered trauma, his character’s abusive behavior and the subsequent relationship is not justified. This brings forth the problem of glorifying toxic relationships in teenager’s entertainment.
Opposites Attract:
The “good girl, bad boy” stereotype is embodied in Tessa and Hardin. Tessa’s ambition and innocence serves as a foil to Hardin’s rebellious and cynical demeanor. Their differences breed conflict as well as attraction, painting their picture in a both interesting yet disturbing light.
Love and Redemption Scars:
The novel delves into question whether pure love can mend deep open wounds. The Tessa’s life story emphasizes on the balance between self-exploration and the act of self-forgiveness.
Critical Reception
The movie adaptation of the novel divided the critics and viewers. Rooted audiences of the novel were extremely happy with the film adaptation while the critics had other ideas. It currently has a 19% score on Rotten Tomatoes, and an audience score of 70%.
The film was at the forefront of criticism once again because of its purposed fanfiction nature and central romance themes. Critics assumed the film was a repeat of Fifty Shades of Grey. While the narrative was quite predictable, many people were quite impressed with the relationship of Josephine Langford and Hero Fiennes Tiffin, considering the relationship to be the silver lining of the boring story.
Box Office Success
While the film had negative reviews, it still ended up making a lot of money. The movie’s production costs were only $14 million, but it ended up grossing more than $69 million around the world, which lead to further productions, After We Collided (2020), After We Fell (2021), After Ever Happy (2022).
Cultural Impact
After became a cultural phenomenon especially so for the younger demographic. Fans flooded TikTok and Twitter with edits and videos of their favorite moments, analyzing the intricate web of interactions between the characters. Furthermore, there were discussions that circled around the need for a more responsible representation of relationships in the media and the expectations that stories must be built on for healthier narratives.
Conclusion
After continues to be a highly polarizing movie. Some view it as a passionate depiction of first love and self exploration while others see it as a warning of the side effects of bad relationships. One can love or despise the movie and its popularity tells how appealing romance is in its complicated, messy glory.
Gone are the days of clichéd romance that existed between the pages of old novels. After, continues to capture the attention of viewers whether one wishes to see the movie as a romantic drama or a warning, it has definitely established itself as a must watch in young adult movies.
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