Movie Review
There was a lot of chatter around the novels when they were first published on Wattpad, and the fanfiction series received a lot of backlash for depicting a very toxic relationship. The books depict a boy and girl in a chaotic relationship as they grow up together, explore their, try to change for the love they have, and change their lives to bring them "happily ever after."
It then follows the story of Theresa Young aka Tessa, a high school graduate who transfers to a new college. She is the daughter of a single mother who raised Tessa after her father abandoned them. Tessa meets Noah and attends college where she shares a dorm room with Stephen. Tessa's mother dislikes her friends, including Steven and Hardin.
Stef and her group are poles apart from Tessa, and she clashes with Hardin the day she first meets him. After Tessa gets caught in the middle of a toxic bet between Steph's two boyfriends, Hardin and Zed, Hardin finds herself attached to Tessa.
Fans of the movies over the years know that the After series is famous for depicting the most toxic relationship ever. We have the typical trope of betting that the virgin main lead will fall in love (or lose her virginity as in the books) with a bad guy who takes advantage of her.
Literally, with Hardy falling in love with Tessa for her conflicted views and Tessa's perpetuation of the "I can fix it" trope, we see great toxic tropes glorified in this and subsequent films. With Hardin gaslighting Tessa in a relationship, and Tessa losing her identity while trying to be someone she's not to get the attention of a boy she's attracted to, the film is as concerned as it gets.
Tessa
Tessa is looking for the love she didn't get when her father left her, but also to see her wild side, unlike how her mother raised her. Hardin, on the other hand, is just an English bad boy whose base is poisonous. She throws tantrums when she doesn't feel right, and our daughter tends to do that all the time.
The performances in this film were mediocre at best, the character made his big screen debut after appearing as the child Voldermort in Fins-Tiffin's Harry Potter series. We have Katherine Langford of 13 Reasons Why fame, and sister Josephine Langford of fame also appears as the main host.
After aims to give fans a new love story to look forward to, but the toxicity is huge. The beginning of Tessa and Hardy's journey has turned many fans away from the subsequent series that has aired over the past few years. With its failed story and rather average performance, After is a one-off watch at best; It's a guilty pleasure for most where takes over the story when common sense leaves the conversation.