After We Collided (2020)

After We Collided is the kind of glossy, high-emotion romance that doesn’t apologize for being messy, addictive, and completely committed to the push-and-pull of young love. Roger Kumble keeps the pace brisk and the atmosphere charged, letting Josephine Langford and Hero Fiennes Tiffin lean into a chemistry that’s equal parts tenderness and volatility, while Dylan Sprouse injects welcome spark that keeps the drama from feeling airless. It’s escapist, heightened, and frequently a little outrageous in the way only a soapy relationship saga can be—more “can’t-look-away” than “subtle realism.” If you’re allergic to melodrama or tired of familiar YA beats, it may not convert you, but if you want a steamy, cathartic ride that plays like a guilty-pleasure page-turner, this one knows exactly what it’s doing.

After We Collided is clearly aiming for a steamy, angst-soaked romance about two people who can’t quit each other, with career pressure and jealousy thrown in to raise the temperature. The problem is it leans hard on recycled tropes—endless blowups, misunderstandings, and a love triangle that feels more like a plot device than real emotional conflict—so if you’re hoping for believable growth or smart writing, you’ll likely find it shallow and repetitive. It’s also very much an R-rated “fight, make up, have sex, repeat” loop, with frequent profanity and some drug/party material, so the intensity comes more from volatility than romance. If you’re already invested in Tessa and Hardin and mainly want chemistry, melodrama, and glossy drama beats, it delivers that; if you want a healthier relationship dynamic or a story with fresh ideas, your time is probably better spent elsewhere.