Sometimes, love gets messier the deeper you fall into it. After We Fell (2021), directed by Castille Landon, continues the saga of Tessa and Hardin’s turbulent romance. Starring Josephine Langford and Hero Fiennes Tiffin, this third installment in the After series is set in present-day America, primarily unfolding in urban and domestic settings like New York City and Hardin’s hometown in England. It sticks to the romance-drama genre, though this time, the stakes are higher, the secrets run deeper, and the emotional turbulence is at an all-time high.
The film picks up with Tessa preparing for a major life decision: moving to Seattle for a job that could shape her future. However, as expected in this series, her plans are complicated by her on-again, off-again relationship with Hardin. The movie explores how both characters are forced to confront their inner demons and deal with family issues that further complicate their relationship. While Tessa struggles to maintain independence, Hardin’s possessive nature and their volatile connection constantly pull her back into a spiral of toxic love. Along the way, new revelations about both their pasts add tension to their already fragile bond, culminating in a series of emotional highs and lows.
One of the key aspects that stand out in After We Fell is the acting. Josephine and Hero carry the emotional weight of the film on their shoulders, particularly Josephine, who has evolved Tessa’s character into someone far more assertive and emotionally complex. Her portrayal of Tessa navigating career ambitions and romantic entanglements feels real, even though the dialogue sometimes doesn’t offer much subtlety. Hero’s Hardin continues to be a brooding enigma—stubborn, intense, and often frustrating, but Fiennes Tiffin plays him with enough emotional rawness to make the character feel more than a mere cliché. He manages to make Hardin’s internal battle visible, showing a man deeply hurt by his past yet unwilling to let go of his control issues. While both actors exhibit solid performances, it is their palpable chemistry that keeps the audience invested in their rollercoaster relationship.
The direction by Castille Landon is a notable improvement over previous installments. The film feels more visually polished and the pacing, while still somewhat repetitive due to the nature of the source material, doesn’t drag as much as the earlier films. Landon uses close-ups and muted lighting to heighten the emotional tension between the characters, especially during their more intimate or confrontational moments. The use of color in key scenes, with darker tones during fights and softer hues during tender moments, adds to the atmosphere. However, the narrative still struggles with pacing at times, especially when the story circles back to the same conflicts over and over.
Musically, the soundtrack remains one of the film’s stronger points. The song choices are contemporary and designed to appeal to younger audiences, and they do a great job of enhancing the emotional beats of the film. Tracks from artists like Charli XCX and Olivia O’Brien fit seamlessly into the movie’s tone, with many songs playing during montages or dramatic sequences, reinforcing the tension or passion on screen. While the music sometimes risks overshadowing the scene itself, it’s mostly effective in adding an extra layer to the emotional atmosphere.
Cinematography, while not groundbreaking, serves its purpose effectively. The film uses a lot of indoor, intimate settings—apartments, offices, and bedrooms—to reflect the personal, often claustrophobic nature of Tessa and Hardin’s relationship. The cinematographer, Rob C. Givens, employs smooth, fluid camera movements to enhance the feeling of emotional drift between the characters. Wide shots of cityscapes are occasionally used to provide contrast and remind us of the bigger world outside their bubble, though the real focus remains on the two leads. Still, there are moments where the film’s visual style doesn’t fully capitalize on the tension within the narrative, opting for conventional shots over more creative visuals that could have amplified the emotional undercurrents.
Thematically, After We Fell delves into toxic love and emotional dependence. The film explores how past traumas—both familial and romantic—shape the characters’ inability to maintain a healthy relationship. The narrative attempts to show personal growth, especially on Tessa’s part, as she tries to gain independence from Hardin’s possessive hold on her. Hardin, on the other hand, is a character constantly pulled back by his family issues, his anger, and his deep mistrust of love. While the themes are compelling, the execution sometimes feels overwrought, with the film leaning into melodrama rather than nuanced exploration. Some of the emotional confrontations feel repetitive, making it hard for viewers to fully appreciate the growth of the characters.
One area where the film could have excelled more is its script. The dialogue often feels heavy-handed, with characters stating their feelings outright rather than allowing their emotions to emerge more naturally through action or silence. This tendency to over-explain emotions reduces the impact of some scenes, especially since the audience has already invested in these characters through two prior films. The script relies too heavily on dramatic declarations and doesn’t give the actors enough subtle material to work with, leading to moments where the drama feels more manufactured than genuine.
Despite these shortcomings, the film succeeds in giving fans of the series exactly what they came for: heightened drama, intense romantic chemistry, and plenty of emotional twists. The family backstory, especially concerning Hardin, adds a new layer to the narrative and helps explain some of his darker tendencies. The film’s ending, while not entirely unexpected, leaves room for further exploration in the next installment, keeping the audience hooked for what’s to come.
In conclusion, After We Fell is a film that caters to its fanbase while offering a few improvements in terms of direction and pacing. It’s not a perfect film by any means, and it still suffers from repetitive conflict and melodrama, but Josephine and Hero’s performances make it an engaging watch. Fans of romantic dramas filled with emotional tension and passionate love will find plenty to enjoy here. While the film may not convert those who weren’t already invested in the series, it delivers on its promise of high-stakes romance and messy relationships. For those intrigued by toxic love stories and the complexities of a passionate, though unhealthy, relationship, this installment continues to deliver.
