Here After

Romance films are a genre with a target audience in mind. Usually that audience is women who see themselves as hopeless romantics, frequenting the prose of Danielle Steele or Nicholas Sparks. That’s not to say only those types of people like romance films, far from it. But when developing a film of this genre, this demographic plays an important role in who you market the film to. Hence, most films of this ilk play things safe, comfortable in being bland and firmly in the PG-13 vain. Many of these films end up being generic and boring, boy meets girl fodder starring the young heart-throbs of the day or, slightly better, more mature actors with a little more grit to their characters. Lately there has even been a surge of films that target an even older demographic, casting actresses whose heydays were many decades in the past. Mostly these work because the formula for a decent romance transcends age, race and is relatable to nearly everybody. A film has to really work to work on that level yet provide something unique and original. Here After tries this and, despite having some really good ideas, doesn’t always succeed.

Andy Karl plays Michael, an actor in New York City who has just broken up with his on-again-off again girlfriend. Shortly afterwards he is killed in an accident and finds himself on the other side. He is greeted by Scarlett (Christina Ricci), a spirit who informs him that in order for him to move on to heaven he must have a soul mate. By not finding her in his previous life he must do so here or else he will eventually cease to exist. Michael tracks down a friend from his own life, Angelo (Michael Rispoli) who pre-deceased him, only to get discouraged when his friend tells him how hard it is to find that soul mate, a person who loves you as much as you love them. Michael attempts to meet up with women but finds the whole process soulless and disappointing until he comes across Honey Bee (Nora Arnezeder), a woman still alive who can see and communicate with him. Honey Bee is having problems of her own in the real world as a man she once dated is obsessed with her and will not leave her alone. Michael and Honey Bee have an instant chemistry but, as she is still alive, cannot qualify as his soul mate. 

The initial premise is promising, yet not completely original. Similar stories about love across the final destination appear in such films as Ghost and Wristcutters: A Love Story. Yet the premise of finding ones soul mate to move on from purgatory is one that resonates more than either of those films. It’s a great hook that is done well here. Unfortunately, the film stumbles almost immediately out the gate. 

Michael is not a likable protagonist. He’s sarcastic and despondent, quick to anger and uses his sharp tongue to lash out at everyone around him. He’s also extremely vulgar, a real turn-off for a romance film. When thinking about the greatest romantic films of all time, images of crusty socks or spying on women in the bathroom do not come to mind. This stuff is juvenile and off-putting. It undermines things by turning us away from Michael. Without a likable lead it’s impossible to care about his predicament. For almost the entire first hour Michael is so unlikeable that it became hard to imagine ever getting on his side. And then Honey Bee enters the picture.

Honey Bee is a breath of fresh air in a film that, up until this point, was pretty bleak and pessimistic. From the moment she comes on screen Michael softens and becomes more interesting as a character. The two, during their first meeting, have a long conversation that tells us more about him than the entire first hour ever did. We also learn exactly how the rest of the film is fated to play out; there are no real surprises in that second hour. Fortunately the chemistry between the two leads makes it a smoother journey but it’s a real shame that it is so telegraphed. 

Christina Ricci’s role in all this is pretty under played. She jumps in and out of the story whenever Michael needs to rant about how unfair all this is. She’s here almost exclusively to spell out the rules of this universe and then serve as a verbal punching bag every time Michael gets upset about something. She plays the part as emotionless as a Star Trek Vulcan but you can tell that just beneath the surface there is a little spark of caring. This is even more evident in the final reel. It's a surprisingly nuanced performance that requires repeat viewings to completely appreciate.

The film as a whole is uneven. Michael is all over the place emotionally. This may have been an intentional method of showing a man ripped from life and floundering in his new reality but it doesn’t fully work here. Angelo’s scenes, brief as they are, are so repulsive that they ruin every scene he’s in. His final moment is meant to be emotional and sad but it’s undercut by yet another vulgar and disgusting story that doesn't work in any way. The only stuff that does work is the dialogue between Michael and Honey Bee. The second half of this film relies heavily on this and it makes the final hour palatable. Unfortunately it’s not enough to save the film from being an overall disappointment. It’s a good premise wasted on a bad script, a script that doesn’t quite know what audience it’s trying to reach. 

Released Date: July 23, 2021

Running Time: 121 Minutes

Rated R

Starring: Andy Karl, Nora Arnezeder and Christina Ricci

Directed By: Harry Greenberger