Inevitably, when it was announced that the finale of the hit show Heartstopper would be released as a film rather than another TV season, I couldn’t contain my excitement. At the same time, I couldn’t help but have my doubts, after seeing how Netflix has handled the finales of some of its other successful shows.
Alice Oseman’s coming of age graphic novel series Heartstopper was adapted by Netflix since 2022 and has gone on to have three successful seasons. Now, the story comes to an end with Heartstopper Forever, which is available to stream now on Netflix. The film sees the return of most of the original cast including Kit Connor and Joe Locke reprising their roles as Nick and Charlie. Sadly, Olivia Colman does not return as Sarah Nelson, with Anna Maxwell Martin taking over the role instead. Directed by Wash Westmoreland and written by Alice Oseman, the film follows Nick and Charlie as they face the next chapter of their lives and discover how the changes ahead will affect their relationship.
The series has always been praised for the way it honestly portrays the experiences of the LGBTQ+ community, while also exploring important issues such as mental health and eating disorders through Charlie’s struggles with anorexia. In Heartstopper Forever, Alice Oseman continues to highlight these themes as a symbolism to remind the audience that overcoming these struggles is not easy. This message is particularly powerful in a scene involving Yasmin Finney as Elle, where she makes a political statement about the destruction of transgender rights, highlighting the ongoing real life challenges faced by the trans community even in today’s world.
With all of these powerful scenes and messages, the film sadly falls when it comes to its overall story. This must have been a difficult task for Alice Oseman, as after four years of showing Nick and Charlie as a strong couple who rarely argue, she needed to create believable challenges that would truly test their relationship. Although every character faces their own situations throughout the film, the causes of these conflicts and their resolutions often feel very sudden and rushed, leaving little time for the audience to fully connect with them.
We also do not see much of our beloved supporting characters in this film. Although it makes sense for the film to focus solely on Nick and Charlie, giving them majority of the screen time, we do still see the problems these characters face with their futures alongside the main story. The film however, lacks the patience in its storytelling that made the series so enjoyable and emotionally engaging, where additional scenes gave the story time to breathe before the couple reconciled, making the audience truly feel for them. As a result, some of the film’s emotional moments do not have the same impact as they could have if they had been given more time to develop.
However, our beloved cast continues to shine in their roles and do not miss. Joe Locke, especially, who once again delivers a convincing performance as Charlie, portraying the frightening reality of the living with anorexia. Even though everyone’s “Mother” Olivia Colman, sadly couldn’t return for the finale, the iconic Anna Maxwell Martin steps into the role brilliantly, and it was indeed refreshing to see her finally portray a calm and supportive mum instead of a stressed full time “working mother”.
Despite its flaws, this does not make Heartstopper Forever a bad finale. The film still has plenty of memorable and enjoyable moments that prove it is the sweet coming of age romance grown to be loved, and it was heartwarming to see the Heartstopper family together one final time. However, the limited runtime of a film, compared to a television series, ultimately meant that we did not get the finale we truly deserved. Personally, I wish the ending could have been made as a fourth season instead of a film, as it would have given us more time with our beloved characters and allowed Alice Oseman to develop the story without having to cut so much because of the time restraints.
Hardcore fans of the show will undoubtedly enjoy this film, as it retains the colourful lightning sparks, heartfelt romance and emotional moments that made the previous seasons so special. However, the general fans of the show and filmgoers may find the overall story a little disappointing due to its rushed pacing. Even so, I would still recommend watching it at least once, for its powerful performances, emotional scenes and the chance to say one final goodbye to these beloved characters.
