The movie “Regretting You” is based on Colleen Hoover’s 2019 novel of the same name. The film was released on Oct. 24, 2025, and stars Makenna Grace as Clara, Allison Williams as Morgan, and Mason Thames as Miller.
“Regretting You” follows a mother, Morgan, and her daughter, Clara. Morgan got pregnant with Clara when she was in high school. Having had Clara at such a young age, Morgan and Clara’s father, Chris, decided to get married. The story then flashes forward to when Clara is in high school. The audience watches her navigate a relationship with Miller Adams, a boy from Clara’s school. Things seem to be going well until a tragedy strikes: Morgan’s sister and Clara’s dad get into a car accident and die as a result. This accident reveals multiple secrets family members had been hiding for quite some time.
Having read the novel and watched the movie, I found “Regretting You” to be a heartfelt, engaging story with complex characters. While the movie did a good job of bringing Hoover’s plot to life, I thought the book was far better.
When reading the book, I really enjoyed gaining insight into the characters. Hoover included detailed internal dialogue, which allowed the reader to understand what the characters were thinking. Being able to see this much of the characters’ thoughts was important in a story with complicated dynamics.
I also found that the movie simplified a lot of the themes that were present in the original story. In the novel, Hoover covers financial struggle, but in the movie, that aspect is glossed over.
As far as accuracy goes, the movie is pretty close to the book. There are, however, a few exceptions. After the car accident, it came to light that there was some infidelity in Clara and Morgan’s family. In the book, Clara comes to find this out in a different way than in the movie.
According to the book, Clara discovers her parents’ infidelity via her own detective work. Piece by piece, she puts together the true story. In the film, Morgan sits Clara down at the table and tells her before she can find out for herself. The novel also provided the reader with more background that set the scene for the story. The movie showed less of the buildup and went straight to the present day.
“Regretting You” is a movie that will both make you laugh and cry along with the characters. I recommend reading the novel before watching the film, as it is essential for understanding all sides of the story. I rate this movie a 4 out of 5 stars as a great companion to the book.
