AFTER WE COLLIDED

BY: Amanda Jane Stern

The last we saw of Tessa Young (Josephine Langford) and Hardin Scott (Hero Fiennes Tiffin), they had just reconciled by the lake where they shared their first kiss after Tessa discovered the truth why Hardin pursued her in the first place. We find out the next chapter of their tumultuous relationship in After We Collided, a sequel to After. The movie is based on Anna Todd’s book of the same name, and a sequel to her book, After. While the first movie was not a hit with critics, it did prove to be a success among teens and young adults. It went on to win a Teen Choice Award and an E! People’s Choice Award. It’s a good bet that After We Collided will fare the same as After. 

For those unfamiliar with the series, it follows the rocky relationship between college students Tessa Young and Hardin Scott. At the end of the first book, we discover that Hardin initially pursued Tessa on a bet to take her virginity and make her fall in love with him. It’s not exactly the sturdiest foundation on which to start a relationship. If that premise makes you think of other teen classics like Cruel Intentions or She’s All That, you would likely not be surprised to find out that Todd’s series started as online fan-fiction. Her stories were inspired by the alleged romances of British pop sensation Harry Styles (though Harry and Hardin are nothing alike), and other popular teen fiction. 

In After We Collided, Tessa and Hardin are now officially together after putting aside their past issues. However, not everything is smooth sailing for the young couple, and soon they find themselves struggling with new issues that threaten to break them up. In addition to Langford and Fiennes Tiffin, the movie, directed by Roger Kumble, also stars Louise Lombard, Dylan Sprouse, Candice King, Charlie Weber, and Selma Blair. After We Collided was released overseas on September 2, 2020. A U.S. release is set for October 23, 2020. Two more sequels, After We Fell and After Ever Happy, are also in the works.