We’re not far from being able to christen Colleen Hoover and the new Nicholas Sparks. Like Sparks, the Texas-born Hoover has made it big as a novelist with a very passionate fanbase. And like Sparks, Hoover’s novels have become a favorite in Hollywood. She’s still a ways away from Sparks’ eleven film adaptations. But Hoover is making up ground quick with a movie last year, one this year, and two scheduled to release in 2026.

“Regretting You” is an adaptation of Hoover’s 2019 novel of the same name. It’s from director Josh Boone who previously helmed the solid romantic drama “The Fault in Our Stars” and the disastrous dead-on-arrival superhero movie “The New Mutants”. Here he works with screenwriter Susan McMartin to try and unpack Hoover’s soapy story. Admittedly I haven’t read the book. But it’s hard to imagine it’s as melodramatically messy as its big screen offspring.

It doesn’t help that the movie is built upon an eye-rolling premise that the mostly capable cast can’t save. They certainly put in the effort, each fully committing to the material no matter how schmaltzy or even strange it gets. But McMartin’s script doesn’t make it easy for them. The story often feels at odds with itself as it ushers its characters through scenes of devastating grief and cheesy teen romance. It’s a tsunami of clashing tones with streaming tears and out-of-tune humor often occupying the same space.

Sisters Morgan (Allison Williams) and Jenny (Willa Fitzgerald) are polar opposites. Since they were kids, Morgan was the stable and reliable one while Jenny was all about having a good time. Their lives took a turn in high school following Morgan’s unexpected pregnancy with her boyfriend Chris (Scott Eastwood). The two end up getting married while Jenny splits with her geeky boyfriend Jonah (Dave Franco) who actually had the hots for Morgan but left town once she and Chris got married. But now Jonah’s back, just long enough to have a baby with Jenny and get engaged. Did you get all that?

While Jonah and Jenny have their newborn, Morgan and Chris have 17-year-old Clara (Mckenna Grace), a bright and sweet senior in high school with big plans to attend drama school. Even more, Clara has a crush on “the coolest guy in school“, Miller Adams (Mason Thames). Miller is a good kid who loves movies while living with and taking care of his ailing grandfather (Clancy Brown). To no surprise the two start to connect in ways that utilize most teen romance tropes.

But movies like this feed on tragedy and it’s no different in “Regretting You”. Morgan and Jonah get the shocking news that Jenny and Chris were killed in a car accident while secretly together. Naturally this prompts some troubling questions while leading to some predictable fallout. As Morgan and Jonah learn some heartbreaking truths, they make a pact not to tell Claire the truth knowing it would devastate her. But that seems like an impossible secret to hide from a 17-year-old, especially for anyone not living off the grid. Nonetheless…

From there the story becomes a swirl of emotional breakdowns, heated arguments, and cutesy puppy love. The actors navigate the tonal chaos the best they can, but their characters are the biggest victims. They’re also hurt by some baffling creative choices. Take the decision to digitally de-age Morgan, Jenny, Chris, and Jonah in a brief prologue and a wonky flashback scene. Not only is the airbrushed effect noticeable, it’s comically distracting.

As for the characters themselves, they’re trapped in a movie where the adults often act like children and the kids like adults. But Clara (who is the centerpiece of the story) has her moments of petulance as well. She also makes some bizarrely rash decisions that don’t do her any favors. Yet Grace overcomes much of it with a mostly charming performance that earns our empathy. Williams finds some good beats in the slightly frustrating Morgan. Fitzgerald is the most in-sync with her character. Eastwood is stuck in a character type while a bespectacled Dave Franco seems miscast and struggles to find chemistry with Williams.

Somewhere inside of “Regretting You” is a thoughtful story about a mother and daughter trying to navigate their grief. The movie is filled with sincerity and good intentions. But the erratic script, uneven characters, and overall wobbly execution keep the story perpetually off-balance. Sadly it doesn’t work as weepy tearjerker or a cheesy YA romance. “Regretting You” is in theaters now.

VERDICT – 2 STARS