Chemical Hearts

By: Jennifer Vintzileos

In the scheme of life, we all hope that that first love could be “the one.” But what happens when the love is one-sided or your potential soulmate is not ready to let go of their past? And how does one cope with the aftermath? Based on the novel Our Chemical Hearts by Krystal Sutherland and the latest project from Amazon Studios, Chemical Hearts is a not so much star-crossed lovers story that not only tries to answer those questions but leaves you with hope and potentially a few tears.

When we first meet Henry Page (Austin Abrams) he’s the average student. He works for the school paper, spends time with his friends Lola (Kara Young) and “Muz” (CJ Hoff), has one rather peculiar hobby and a loving family. His life is rather—well, boring. And, more importantly, he has never experienced that first love or the potential heartbreak that comes with it. Enter Grace Town (Lili Reinhart), a transfer from East River whose fixation on Pablo Neruda and Beach House’s “I’ll Take Care Of You” immediately intrigue Henry. As he sets out to learn Grace’s backstory, including the reason she walks with a cane or lets Henry drive her car to his house and then leaves it there, we watch Henry start to fall for the perception he has of Grace. And while Grace seems to show interest in Henry and begins to come around from her initially aloof attitude, it’s only a matter of time before we learn the heart-breaking truth behind Grace’s disability and transfer to the school.

As the relationship begins to show signs of unraveling, the audience gets a clearer picture of Grace while simultaneously watching Henry try to reconcile his feelings and seek understanding. It is then that Henry truly grasps the reality of his relationship with Grace and those around him – from his sister Sadie’s (Sarah Jones) recent heartbreak, the consistent love of his parents Toby (Bruce Altman) and Gloria (Meg Gibson) and watching his friend Lola pursue a new relationship with Cora (Coral Peña). Ultimately, we root for Henry and Grace to find their happy ending, even if isn’t with each other.

Director Richard Tanne brought the story justice by allowing characters Henry and Grace to come into their own. The nuances and quirks of their personalities gave the audience a greater appreciation of the characters themselves. While Austin Abrams did a phenomenal job selling us Henry’s journey through first love, the accolades belong to Lili Reinhart as she gave us some heart-wrenching scenes. One particular scene is when Henry finds Grace wading in water in a white dress, the memories of her past life in her hands. While Henry is unclear how to help her through her issues, Grace is also uncertain of how to let go of her past and move on. You want to be in that water with them to console them both.

While we may never know how the story ends, Chemical Hearts at least provides that possibility that we will survive and learn from love—no matter the cost. Chemical Hearts is now streaming on Prime Video.