I don’t know how I feel about Heartstopper coming back, knowing it’s the end. Netflix's Heartstopper showed us all that there are good love stories on television. Based on Alice Oseman's graphic novels, the series centered on the relationship between Charlie Spring and Nick Nelson, along with the many friends around them. With Heartstopper Forever on Netflix, we finally see the end of these storylines. Some characters will be cut short because it's in film format, but the rest should be able to hold on.
Reviewed by Allan R. Ellenberger
We start with Nick (Kit Connor) about to go off to college and Charlie (Joe Locke) starting to explore life outside of his relationship. Everything they knew about being together is now different. Not only do they have college and are becoming independent, but they're also learning how to love someone without letting that cloud their judgment as they become adults. How will Nick and Charlie love each other if this is their first love? Will it last?
Which is the perfect note to end on because we know that Heartstopper was never just about the butterflies you get when you fall in love. It's become about loving someone and staying true to yourself. We've seen Charlie grow from a broken boy in the first season, and now he's thriving. Nick has learned how to be comfortable with who he is and what he wants out of life. The movie lets us see these characters learn that too.
Kit Connor and Joe Locke have done such a wonderful job portraying these two. They've been together for so long that you don't feel like they're forcing that love onto the screen.
Every little interaction, from eye contact to reaching out for one another, tells us that they care. These two have carried this show and movie and made us care about their relationship.
Not only did Connor and Locke have the opportunity to star in this movie, but they also executive produced it. Alice Oseman wrote the screenplay and executive produced the film. Directed by Wash Westmoreland, who also directed Still Alice and Colette. Westmoreland did a great job finishing this story. You can still tell it's Heartstopper with the same feel to the colors, music, and cuteness. However, it feels slightly more mature as our characters are approaching that age.
Heartstopper brought back all of our favorite cast members. William Gao (Tao), Yasmin Finney (Elle), Corinna Brown (Tara), Kizzy Edgell (Darcy), Tobie Donovan (Isaac), Jenny Walser (Tori), Rhea Norwood (Imogen), and Leila Khan (Sahar). Anna Maxwell Martin returned as Sarah Nick's mom, and Fisayo Akinade and Nima Taleghani played Mr. Ajayi and Mr. Farouk. The movie also stars Derek Jacobi and Eddie Marsan. All these great actors, but as you can imagine, there wasn't enough screen time for everyone.
In film, there isn't as much time for some of these characters to breathe. Tao and Elle, Tara and Darcy, Isaac, Imogen, and many others didn't get as much storyline as we would have liked in an 8-episode season. Many reviewers pointed this out as well. TheWrap said that while it was good to see Connor and Locke have more time on screen, they felt many characters were left out. The Guardian felt that some characters didn't get as much screen time as they would have liked.
I agree with that sentiment. I wanted to spend more time with all of our characters. It's always been about Nick and Charlie, but they had so many friends we grew to love as well. It's a shame that we couldn't get that with this movie.
Heartstopper knew it was about Nick and Charlie, and it gave them that. There were no huge blow-ups or anything crazy that we weren't used to seeing from this show. They argue but not to the extent that you would expect when learning that your partner may be going away.
Many critics thought that it wasn't edgy enough. The Guardian stated that it was too saccharine and used too many flashbacks and inside jokes. The Times went further, saying there wasn't enough drama in the movie. NME called it a good ending to the story.
Audience's loved this film. However, some felt that it should have been a season instead of a movie. They felt some characters deserved more closure in their storylines. Many who have watched the show since the beginning thought this was a great end, but some felt it wasn't enough.
I loved that it was comforting. I know some things in this world were portrayed as better than they actually are. But that's what made Heartstopper special. It allowed its LGBTQ characters to be happy and show us that there is hope. That's what I want to see when watching this type of content.
While I wish we'd gotten a season to close out some of these characters' storylines, this did the job of telling us that Nick and Charlie's love will continue. Heartstopper Forever left us with a warm fuzzy feeling, and I'm happy to say it was worth the wait.
If you’ve seen Heartstopper Forever, I’d love to know what you thought of Nick and Charlie’s final chapter. Did the film give the story the ending you hoped for? Please leave a comment, rate my review, and share it with fellow Heartstopper fans. Your support helps The Hollywoodland Revue reach more readers.
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