SPOILERS: This column contains potential spoilers for “Heartstopper Forever.”
“Heartstopper” has always held a special place in my heart as the first show I saw that centered queer characters. This is why I was both excited and heartbroken to learn that the series was going to come to a close with “Heartstopper Forever,” a feature length film that released on Netflix July 17.
But what a fitting conclusion it was.
“Heartstopper Forever” follows the story of teenage lovers Nick (Kit Connor) and Charlie (Joe Locke) as they navigate their two-year relationship and prepare for long distance as Nick gets ready to leave for college. They’re also surrounded by their friends, Isaac (Tobie Donovan), Elle (Yasmin Finney) and Tao (William Gao), who go through their own struggles as the end of that era of their life approaches.
The first thing I noticed, and loved, was how the storyline for this film continued with the more mature and heavier themes of Season 3. Although it was maybe not as dark as eating disorders and depression, this film deals with the very real possibility of relationships breaking apart as the lives of the people inside of it change.
We see this best portrayed in Tao and Elle’s relationship. Although the two work great as best friends, Tao and Elle struggled to stay together as a couple and break up many times throughout the film, eventually staying apart for good. As a result, this turmoil made Nick and Charlie feel less secure in their “perfect” relationship.
The scene where we see Nick and Charlie finally snap and start yelling at each other was honestly one of the best in the film. I think it was a necessary step toward them communicating more effectively and finally becoming less codependent.
Although I obviously love queer stories that aren’t just horrifying or tragic, I think adding this layer of realism to their relationship helps the story feel grounded in reality rather than a fairytale romance.
I will say that the movie format for this story didn’t feel as natural as the episodic format of the show. Since the story is based on a graphic novel, breaking it up into smaller chunks like the chapters of a book makes a lot more sense.
Plus, a series format leaves a lot more room to tell the stories of the other major characters in the story. Although Elle and Tao’s story is part of the main theme of the film, this movie pretty much drops any other major parts of their lives, such as Elle’s artistic pursuits or Tao’s love of film.
And I also wish we had a bit more time with other characters like Tara (Corinna Brown) and Darcy (Kizzy Edgell) as well as my personal favorite, Imogen (Rhea Norwood). I would have loved to see more of Imogen discovering herself and her sexuality.
I think Tara and Darcy added a much-needed levity to the show, and Tara specifically was a helpful mentor and friend to Nick. I wanted to see more of Nick and Tara’s friendship, especially since Nick was in a dark place with no one to turn to after he and Charlie broke up. I would have loved a scene where she and Darcy cheer him up just like Tao, Elle and Isaac did for Charlie.
But I guess that’s the tradeoff of a movie versus an entire season of a series.
One character they did include though was Nick’s mom Sarah (Anna Maxwell Martin), who I was really glad to see make a return in this film. Olivia Colman, the original actress for the role, wasn’t able to return after Season 2, so I’m glad they recast her instead of having her weirdly absent like in Season 3. Sarah adds such a calming adult presence to the story, and I think her absence was a large reason why Season 3 felt so much more stressful than the previous installments. I think Martin does a wonderful job portraying the character, by matching the voice and mannerisms of Colman’s Sarah perfectly.
Overall, I am satisfied with the conclusion to this story.
While I would have preferred a final season rather than a film, I think they did a great job keeping the original feel of the show. And even though the series has come to an end, I know plenty of rewatches are in my future when I need a comfort show to watch.
