Hello, Goodbye and Everything in Between
Hello, Goodbye and Everything in Between
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A Lot or a Little?
The parents' guide to what's in this movie.
What Parents Need to Know
Parents need to know that teens kiss, fall in love, break up, go to parties, swear, and leave home for college in the book-based Hello, Goodbye and Everything in Between. The two main characters are talented and high-achieving new high school graduates both planning to attend good colleges and launch professional careers. They're in love, and scenes show them kissing and lying together in bed then turning off the light. Two girls kiss at a party playing Truth or Dare, and there's mention of being "horny," "hot and heavy," "hooking up," and "making out." People drink out of plastic tumblers at parties, but nobody is visibly drunk or impaired. A song's lyrics mention "cokehead," being "drunk," and "shooting up," and other language in the film includes "ass," "bitch," "hell," "damn," "sucks," "douchey," and "ding-dong" (for penis). The main cast of the film is diverse, and high schoolers are shown to be capable of true love and true friendship.
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What's the Story?
In HELLO, GOODBYE AND EVERYTHING IN BETWEEN, based on the novel by Jennifer E. Smith, Aidan (Jordan Fisher) and Claire (Talia Ryder) are about to graduate high school and, as pacted, break up after a whirlwind senior-year romance. For Claire, high school is a "prologue" to the rest of their lives, and she wants to start college unencumbered. Although Aidan had originally agreed to break up upon graduation, now that the moment has come, he has doubts. He has planned a final goodbye date that will walk the couple through all the places and events of their relationship in the hope it will inspire her to stay together. But the night and the outcome don't go as planned.
Is It Any Good?
If a film asks you to invest an hour and a half in the breakup of two teenagers, it has to make sure those characters and their love story are epic. That's unfortunately not the case in Hello, Goodbye and Everything in Between, which dwells on their meet-cute only to flip through the months of their relationship in fast motion, then walk us back through them as reenactments. The actors/characters are likable but not especially memorable. The location is pretty but not specified. The filming is by-the-book. A highlight are the best friends, humorous secondary characters played by Nico Hiraga and Djouliet Amara. Other movies have done this better.
Talk to Your Kids About ...
Families can talk about the transition from high school to college, a theme of Hello, Goodbye and Everything in Between. How do the characters view this period in their lives differently? What do you think? What was your parents' experience?
How does this film handle the passage of time differently than other films you've watched? How does that affect your understanding of the characters and their relationship?
How does this film contrast with the book it's based on, if you've read it? How do stories usually differ between book form and film adaptation, in your experience?
Movie Details
- On DVD or streaming: July 6, 2022
- Cast: Jordan Fisher, Talia Ryder, Nico Hiraga
- Director: Michael Lewen
- Studio: Netflix
- Genre: Romance
- Topics: Book Characters, Friendship, High School
- Run time: 84 minutes
- MPAA rating: PG-13
- Last updated: July 12, 2022
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