Reminders of Him * Encapsulates A Stirring Plot With Characters That Are Easily Likable
After a perfect outing with her boyfriend, Kenna makes an unbearable mistake that sends her to prison for seven years. Kenna Rowan pleads guilty to vehicular manslaughter for a car accident that resulted in the death of her boyfriend, Scotty Landry. Six years later, Kenna is released from prison on parole and moves back to her hometown hoping to rebuild her life and reunite with her daughter whom she gave birth to during her sentence. The girl’s custodial grandparents refuse to let Kenna see her and she soon finds unexpected compassion from a local bar owner as their secret romance gives Kenna hope for a second chance.
KIDS FIRST! Film Critic Sydney S. comments, “Reminders of Him encapsulates a stirring plot with characters that are easily likable. Although it starts off slow, the film is very moving on a personal level… The film’s message is that even when life is difficult, it’s important to find hope and something to live for.” See her full review below.
Reminders of Him
By Sydney S., KIDS FIRST! Film Critic, age 15
(from left) Kenna Rowan (Maika Monroe) and Ledger Ward (Tyriq Withers) in REMINDERS OF HIM, directed by Vanessa Caswill.
Reminders of Him encapsulates a stirring plot with characters that are easily likable. Although it starts off slow, the film is very moving on a personal level.
The storyline follows a woman who is recently released from prison for killing her boyfriend. She goes in search of her daughter that was taken away from her after birth. She ends up finding her late boyfriend’s best friend, and they build a close relationship with each other.
Reminders of Him is based on the book with the same title by Colleen Hoover. The main characters are Kenna (Maika Monroe), Ledger (Tyriq Withers), Grace (Lauren Graham), Scotty (Rudy Pankow) and Diem (Zoe Kosovic).
One of my favorite things about this film is how connected I felt with the characters. Knowing their backstory and struggles, but also seeing their interactions with each other, made it easy to get attached to them. That’s why when Kenna and her daughter Diem meet, it’s especially heartwarming because the audience knows how much it took to get to that point and how much it means to Kenna. I felt complete empathy for all the characters. However, we know very little about Scotty’s background, despite the whole film being based on him. The plot is lacking there and he is only shown in a couple of scenes. Even though the plot is very predictable, one scene shocked me even though I knew it was bound to happen. I applaud the directors for that. Books are explicitly detailed and can be difficult to transfer into a movie script, but this screenplay delivers. It makes me want to read the book now. I especially like Scotty and Kenna’s flashbacks. The car crash scene is very intense and captivating, even to the point of shaking and heart racing! The setting is mostly in a rural city and the sets look very realistic. My favorite part is hearing the jokes of Kenna’s coworker, who is a kid. She’s so funny and adds humor and balance to the storyline.
(from left) Diem Landry (Zoe Kosovic) and Kenna Rowan (Maika Monroe) in REMINDERS OF HIM, directed by Vanessa Caswill.
The film’s message is that even when life is difficult, it’s important to find hope and something to live for. When Kenna feels like she has nothing to live for, she creates new relationships with people and becomes part of her daughter’s life, which she didn’t think was possible. However, she never gives up and continues to persevere. Be aware that there are some scenes with bloody images, personal intimacy, and mild profanity.
I give Reminders of Him 4 out of 5 stars and recommend it for ages 12 to 18, plus adults. Reminders of Him releases in theaters March 13, 2026.
