There are moments in our life that define our future. Rarely do we get a chance to do it over again. But sometimes you get a chance to make a different decision.

In Regretting You, the new film from director Josh Boone (The Fault in Our Stars) based on the book from Colleen Hoover, we get a story of love and grief, often intertwined. It focuses on a family in the midst of tragedy that is forced to re-examine everything they thought they knew about their lives and choices.

As we open, we meet Morgan (Allison Williams) and her sister, Jenny (Willa Fitzgerald). They are enjoying a summer evening with their boyfriends, Chris (Scott Eastwood) and Jonah (Dave Franco). Morgan has just discovered she’s pregnant and it’s about to change her life.

Flash-forward 17 years. Morgan and Chris are the parents of Clara (McKenna Grace). It’s Morgan’s birthday and they are hosting a dinner. After time apart, Jenny and Jonah reunited. They’ve just had a baby and they’re about to get married. Still, there’s some tension between Morgan and Jonah, once close friends.

On her way home, Clara runs across Miller (Mason Thames). Sparks fly and they have a potential connection. She continues home. The family enjoys a nice dinner. The next day, everything changes.

Chris and Jenny are killed in a car crash. In the aftermath, Clara, Morgan, and Jonah are thrown into grief. And revelations about Chris and Jenny turn that grief into anger and threaten to turn their world upside down.

Hoover is a talented and popular writer. Her book It Ends With Us was adapted last summer in a popular film, while two more book adaptations are due in 2026. She has a lot of fans, and her books tell deeply emotional and engaging stories. This is no different.

Boone has delivered these type of stories before. He does a nice job of building a film that has some strong performances and some engaging moments. While it’s a heavy subject with plenty of emotional sequences, there are also moments of humor to balance it out.

I like the cast here. I was more drawn to the story of the adults—Williams and Franco—but all of the main actors do a nice job. Grace and Thames have good chemistry and their story arc provides more of the hopefulness in the story. But the work done by Williams and Franco rounds it out. Their story provides some of the most depth of emotion and catharsis.

Overall, for fans of the genre this should be a welcome exploration. I thought this was an engaging story that delivers and a film that makes for a nice date night. It’s worth checking out in theaters for those looking for an engaging night out.

Regretting You is now playing nationwide.

Matthew Fox is a graduate of the Radio, Television and Film program at Biola University, and a giant nerd. He spends his free time watching movies, TV, and obsessing about football. He is a member of the FSWA. You can find him @knighthawk7734 on Twitter and as co-host of the Fantasy Football Roundtable Podcast.