Another YA Movie Lacking Depth

Summer 2022 has brought in an influx of young adult romance movies and shows, which have become a staple for their core audience. From The Summer I Turned Pretty over on Amazon Prime Video to Netflix’s Love & Gelato, which fans of the original novel and critics alike panned as an unsuccessful adaptation. The formula for film productions has turned to bestselling young adult novels for content, drawing in already-established fanbases and newer fans alike. However, this model is not always successful, although previous adaptations like All the Boys I Loved Before have drawn in mass praise. July 2022’s newest batch of movies includes Hello, Goodbye, and Everything in Between.

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Hello, Goodbye, and Everything in Between, too, is an adaptation of a young adult book. American novelist Jennifer E. Smith published the novel in 2015 after putting out a major bestseller on the YA market: The Statistical Probability of Love at First Sight. Netflix officially released the trailer for the movie on June 15, 2022, and it was available for streaming on the platform on July 6, 2022. Michael Lewen directs, marking his directorial debut, and the screenplay was written by Ben York Jones (Like Crazy) and Amy Reed. Although this novel is overshadowed by its successor, The Statistical Probability of Love At First Sight, it still was fairly successful on the market and had some dedicated fans.

The film’s two main stars both have been on Broadway previously. Talia Ryder, who portrays Clare, began her career in Matilda the Musical in New York City and can be spotted in both Steven Spielberg’s West Side Story and Never Sometimes Rarely Always. Jordan Fisher, who recently wrapped up portraying Evan Hansen on Broadway, is best known for being on ABC’s Dancing With the Stars and To All the Boys: P.S. I Still Love You. Other notable cast members of Hello, Goodbye, and Everything in Between include Ayo Edebiri (Big Mouth, Dickinson), Jennifer Robertson (Schitt’s Creek), and Patrick Sabongui (The Flash), among others.

A Relationship Begins With an Expiration Date

The premise of this movie is rather straightforward—or so it makes it seem. It is senior year of high school and all of the students are eagerly anticipating getting out of there and moving on to the real world. No matter how hard high school sweethearts say that they are going to stay together forever, despite multiple states between them, the statistics are very much against their relationship and the odds are not in their favor. But in the case of Clare and Aidan, their breakup was predestined. They decided way in advance that they were going to break up when it was time to head off to college, but things are not as simple as that in real life.

After ten months of being in this relationship, almost everyone thinks the fact the two have a breakup pact is quite strange. In the movie’s opening scenes, as they attend a party together, it comes as no surprise that the two will become a couple. With their lighthearted bickering and bantering before they are even officially dating, the chemistry is there. The movie starts at the very beginning of their time together, creating an origin story for this dwindling love story. Nothing about the way they act, except for the verbal reaffirmations that it is almost time to throw in the towel, gives an indicator that something might actually end here.

Hello, Goodbye, and Everything in Between is split harshly into specific portions, forcing a reason as to why it is titled the way it is. In the first section, it is dubbed “The Hello,” while the other two sections are “The In-Between” and “Goodbye.” While the movie’s opening scenes give a short glimpse into their first meeting, the story then fast-forwards to the time when they have to break up. Those initial moments allow establishing the basics of the characters’ personalities: Clare is a bit guarded and does not want a relationship, but Aidan is more laidback and charms her into giving him a shot at love. She has a good reason for being the way she is, though, as her mother seems to have had a string of failed relationships in the past. That is why Aidan seems so good for her at first; he is the exact opposite. He believes in being freer, allowing opportunities and love to come his way. Yet, somehow, he convinces Clare to lower her barriers and be more open-minded about the possibilities her future could hold.

“The In-Between” then gives a quick montage of their relationship over the past year but does not really dive deeper into why these two are so good together as a couple. This aspect of the movie is more muddled, feeling forced to try and fill in the blanks before it is too late to do so. Considering the film’s premise, how the final section may play out is a little obvious, but, as an artist would say, it is all about the process. So, naturally, the plot decides to dwell on the fact that they will go on one final epic date, consisting of twelve hours of aesthetic boat rides, sparklers, and ice skating. The chemistry between Clare and Aidan is there, but the structure creates an over-reliance on that fact to try and sell the magic of the story.

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What Does It Add to Young Adult Films?

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Hello, Goodbye, and Everything in Between is a movie one would dub as “cute.” Does that make it memorable? Probably not. It is well-acted, with Ayo Edebiri’s performance standing out in particular. It feels very real, its characters living within the eternity that is senior year, counting down the days for it all to end — except here, there is a major twist on that with the relationship clock ticking. However, there is not much to take away from the movie. At times, it seems like the movie is trying to connect to broader themes but fails to do so, making it a simple story about two kids attempting to go through with a doomed romantic pact they made.

The side characters also try to hammer home the fact that their relationship is going to end, making it sound like a broken mantra by the end. At times, it feels like the movie is half-heartedly trying to convince the viewer that yes, maybe they will actually break up, and someone needs to be rooting for them to stay together until the end of time. The movie clocks in at an hour and twenty-two minutes, and with its brevity when it comes to their actual relationship, it asks too much from the audience. Without anyone providing reasons for emotional investment, giving substance to these characters, and why someone should root for them, it falls flat overall. Coming in with no expectations may be ideal for this kind of movie, as it does not deviate much from its focus, nor does it allow characters the chance to grow beyond who and what they are established to be.

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There also is no conflict outside of them potentially breaking up. Clare and Aidan live pretty comfortable lives and their families seem relatively happy on the screen, one even having a toast for their inevitable breakup. Moments like these seem a little too contrived and perfect for an average teenager’s life, especially in times of such great conflict. And maybe that is a good thing for some viewers. Movies can provide a form of escapism, allowing audiences the chance to leave their world behind for a brief hour or two and forget about the struggles outside of the theater. Sometimes a movie like this is needed after a busy or difficult day.

With the recent flop of Love & Gelato on Netflix, it seems like the content may not be solid when it comes to the young adult genre. Hello, Goodbye, and Everything in Between is perfect for someone who might not want to think too hard about the story and relationship, instead choosing to get lost in the magic of young high school love despite not knowing much about these teenagers. On a surface level, it is not hard to like them. The dialogue between the two is snappy, and they seem mature for their age. It is a shame the camera does not spend enough time with them, giving more weight and tension to the fact that this may be the final date for a star-crossed duo.

Hello, Goodbye, and Everything in Between is now available to stream on Netflix as of July 6, 2022.

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