Romance movies may not always be a hit at the box office. However, great ones have created a devoted following, such as the film After.
It grossed $66 million at the tills, making it a worldwide success. If you’re one of the millions who loved this film, check out the 11 best movies like After.
All About After
An Overview
| Director | Jenny Gage |
| Screenplay | Jenny Gage, Tamara Chestna, Susan McMartin
|
| Release Date | April 2019
|
| Adapted from | The book, After, written by Anna Todd |
| Genre | Romance, drama
|
| Age Rating | PG-13
|
| Length | 1 hour and 46 minutes |
Main Cast
- Josephine Langford as Tessa
- Hero Fiennes Tiffin as Hardin
- Selma Blair as Carol
- Dylan Arnold as Noah
Synopsis
Anna Todd’s novel After is the inspiration for this romantic film. It reveals the story of Tessa (Josephine Langford), an obedient daughter and a straight-A student. She’s also a faithful girlfriend to her high school sweetheart.
Her once sheltered life opens up when she meets Hardi (Hero Fiennes Tiffin) when she starts college. He’s the typical “bad boy” who has a mysterious dark streak.
Hardi’s brooding and magnetic personality make Tessa question all her plans for the future. As their relationship grew, she examined her life and what she wanted from it.
Review
Fans of the book observed that the movie missed some crucial details. However, the characters coming to life were still entertaining. Some viewers also noted that some scenes seemed rushed.
It made the story shorter than what was written in the novel. The palpable chemistry between the two leads made up for these flaws.
If you’re drawn to tearjerkers, then this movie is for you. The breakup montage was heartbreaking and memorable. The soundtrack fits the mood perfectly, with songs like Avril Lavigne’s “Complicated.”
The movie’s success has spawned two sequels: After We Collided and After We Fell.
11 Movies Like After
1. Chemical Hearts (2020)
English 1h 33m IMDb
Director: Richard Tanne
Stars: Lili Reinhart, Austin Abrams, Sarah Jones
This romantic movie revolves around a shy and reserved guy falling for a mysterious girl. It stars Austin Abrams as 17-year-old Henry Page. He’s a romantic person, but he hasn’t found the right woman to love.
Then, he meets Grace Town (Lili Reinhart), a transfer student who’s a senior like him. When they both took the job of co-editing the school paper, Henry became attracted to Grace. He falls in love with her amidst knowing a secret that changes her life.
It’s similar to After’s theme of two people from different backgrounds falling in love. Interestingly, the story is told from a male’s point of view. A refreshing change from the usual storylines of romance genres.
The movie veered away from the usual teenage cliches and dove deeper into the effects of early relationships. It explored character development and the nuisances of young love.
2. Endless Love (2014)
English 1h 44m IMDb
Director: Shana Feste
Stars: Gabriella Wilde, Alex Pettyfer, Bruce Greenwood
Endless love is based on a 1981 film (of the same title) that spawned an iconic love song. In the 2014 version, the story revolves around David (Alex Pettyfer), who has a long-time crush on Jade (Gabriella Wild).
An eventful meeting at an inn led to their falling madly in love. As Jade reveals her past to David, trust issues surface, making them question their relationship. Jade’s parents try to break them apart, which adds more to the story’s conflict.
This romantic film is similar to After as it tells the story of people from different worlds. The guy, a valet at an exclusive country club, lives a simple life. The girl comes from a wealthy family who frequents the country club.
It explores social class and its effect on a relationship. Their chemistry, matched with the swoon-worthy soundtrack, makes for a great romantic film.
3. After We Collided (2020)
English 1h 45m IMDb
Director: Roger Kumble
Stars: Josephine Langford, Hero Fiennes Tiffin, Dylan Sprouse
This sequel to After further explores Tessa’s relationship with Hardin. Their initial connection had a tumultuous start, and this film narrates how they try to make it work.
However, Hardin’s mysterious past caught up with Tessa, making her doubt his motives. She questions herself if the guy he fell in love with is the same one she’s with now. Hardin realizes his mistakes and decides to change his ways for love.
Some viewers found the sequel better than the first one. The storyline is more explicit, and there is more profound character development. This movie is also filled with insightful and funny quotes, perfect for sharing.
Many fans observed that the director took all negative comments from the first movie to improve the second one. There are new characters introduced in this film, making it more interesting.
The unanswered questions may haunt viewers, but the next movie will answer them in the next installment.
4. Midnight Sun (2018)
English 1h 31m IMDb
Director: Scott Speer
Stars: Bella Thorne, Patrick Schwarzenegger, Rob Riggle
The film tells the story of Katie, a 17-year-old girl with a disease called XP or Xeroderma Pigmentosum. This genetic disorder prevents her from going out of the house during the day since UV light can cause DNA damage.
Every day she looks out of the window to see the world. When she meets Charlie, they embark on a beautiful summer romance until one fateful night. The film’s lead stars are Bella Thorne and Patrick Schwarzenegger.
The movie is an excellent opportunity to spread awareness about the disease. It shows how compassion and compromise can strengthen any relationship. The heartwarming music matches the storyline and the acting well.
Additionally, it shares a similar theme with After as it touches on forbidden love and teenage angst. However, this film is more family-friendly than After. Teens can watch it with their parents without feeling embarrassed by steamy scenes.
5. The Last Song (2010)
English 1h 48m IMDb
Director: Julie Anne Robinson
Stars: Miley Cyrus, Liam Hemsworth, Greg Kinnear
Miley Cyrus plays Ronnie, a rebellious teenager with divorced parents, in this 2010 romantic drama. One summer, she and her younger brother were sent by their mom to live with their dad by the beach.
She has no intention of bonding with her dad and spends her days moping around. Until she met a handsome guy played by her former real-life flame, Liam Hemsworth, she also began to reconnect with her father through music.
Their love for music led her to realize that family is essential.
Since this film is based on a novel by Nicholas Sparks, expect many heartwarming and tearjerker moments. Miley and Liam looked good on the screen, and the romantic scenes were believable.
Like “After,” the lead in this film is also being raised by a single parent. Viewers find some cliche scenes, but the touching soundtrack makes up for these flaws.
6. A Walk to Remember (2002)
English 1h 41m IMDb
Director: Adam Shankman
Stars: Mandy Moore, Shane West, Peter Coyote
This film starts when Carter (Shane West), a carefree and popular student, is forced to join a community service program. It was a consequence of being part of a prank gone wrong. The “punishment” also included being the lead star in a play.
He met the reverend’s daughter Jamie Sullivan (Mandy Moore) during these activities, and their friendship blossomed into romance.
Carter’s friends and Jamie’s father oppose their relationship. A life-altering secret tested their relationship and showed them the meaning of true love.
This film revolves around two characters who have nothing in common like the movie. Their relationship went through so many struggles despite them being young. Many viewers believe that it’s Mandy Moore’s best film ever.
She had a believable and touching performance. It perfectly matched Shane West’s brooding and bad boy persona. It isn’t just another teen romance but a deeper look into unconditional love.
7. The First Time (2012)
English 1h 35m IMDb
Director: Jonathan Kasdan
Stars: Dylan O’Brien, Britt Robertson, Victoria Justice
This movie is more than just losing one’s virginity. It’s about falling in love with the right person. Audrey (Britt Robertson) and Dave (Dylan O’Brien), the lead stars, are attracted to other people.
Then after one party, they somewhat connected and realized there was a spark between them. They also figured they aren’t themselves when with the people they love. However, when they are together, everything seems easy, and they can talk about anything.
The film is pretty simple, and the dialogue is straightforward. It isn’t heavy even if it’s a romantic drama- a refreshing change from the usual teenage films.
Like “After,” it touches on long-distance relationships and the challenges of going off to college. It tackles mature issues that can serve as teachable moments for teenagers.
The director’s approach allows adults to enjoy the movie too. Acting is also commendable, and the main stars gave charming performances.
8. After We Fell (2021)
English 1h 38m IMDb
Director: Castille Landon
Stars: Josephine Langford, Hero Fiennes Tiffin, Louise Lombard
This romantic drama is the third movie in the “After” franchise. Hardin and Tessa had to make serious decisions in their lives that could affect their relationship.
They’re trying to sort out their differences to see if they can withstand all challenges. Hardin seems to have no direction in life. On the other hand, Tessa wants to pursue her dreams in Seattle, with or without Hardin.
Unlike the other two movies, this film was shot in Bulgaria. The breathtaking location was made more beautiful with excellent cinematography. It also stayed true to the book by having some epic shots in London.
The director also shot the intimate scenes tastefully while the writer captured the lead stars’ raw emotions. The audience can feel the maturity and seriousness of the characters’ conflicts. It presented a flawless transition from the first movie.
9. If I Stay (2014)
English 1h 47m IMDb
Director: R.J. Cutler
Stars: Chloë Grace Moretz, Mireille Enos, Jamie Blackley
The movie stars Chloe Grace Moretz as Mia, a talented young cellist. She’s torn between pursuing her musical ambitions at Juillard or staying with the love of her life, Adam. It’s a love story between two different people.
One’s a classical musician, while the other is a rock singer and guitarist. Despite the differences, they made things work until a fateful day changed their lives.
Mia is caught in a life-and-death situation. She needs to make a crucial decision that can determine her future.
This touching film has fantastic cinematography and a riveting storyline. As always, Moretz brings her acting A-game. The audience is drawn to her beautiful face and her undeniable chemistry with Jamie Blackley.
The lead stars’ playing the musical instruments were also memorable scenes. The audience can feel the maturity of the roles and the depth of the story. Meanwhile, the soundtrack captured the roller coaster of emotions.
10. Everything, Everything (2017)
English 1h 36m IMDb
Director: Stella Meghie
Stars: Amandla Stenberg, Nick Robinson, Anika Noni Rose
This romantic drama tells the story of Maddy, a teenager with a rare disease that has kept her indoors all her life. All she had was her mom, her nurse, and books. Until one day, Olly, a dashing boy, moves in next door.
They communicated through emails and text messages. As days went by, they fell in love with each other. Through Olly, Maddy realized that there’s so much more to life than being confined at home.
Many viewers believe that this movie is an excellent adaptation of the book. It’s not often that a film stays true to the novel’s voice, so this is a refreshing change. The lead starts gave excellent acting and had terrific chemistry.
Meanwhile, the film’s cinematography and location provided a pleasant escape from everyday life. Even the color palette, the furniture, and the house were all well-thought-of, contributing to the overall satisfying effect.
11. The Fault in Our Stars (2014)
English 2h 6m IMDb
Director: Josh Boone
Stars: Shailene Woodley, Ansel Elgort, Nat Wolff
This tearjerker revolves around the love story of Hazel Grace (Shailene Woodley) and Gus Waters (Ansel Elgort). Both teens are cancer patients who met at a support group.
They discovered that they share the same love for books aside from their illness. This interest led to a deeper relationship rooted in love and acceptance.
Gus was able to get an invitation from Hazel’s favorite author. They embarked on a beautiful journey of self-discovery and unconditional love.
Based on John Greene’s novel, this film captured the heartbreaking experience of falling in love while battling a severe illness. The lead actors brought justice to the painful yet exhilarating feeling of falling in love amidst a trying situation.
It teaches many lessons about life, love, and seeing the best even in the worst conditions.
Summary
Some people may not take teen romantic dramas seriously. However, the 11 best movies like After prove that young people also deal with issues about love and life.
These films explore the beauty of falling in love while teaching lessons on dealing with heartbreak. So round up your friends and grab some tissues for a drama movie fest.
