The In Between Review: A Tearjerker Starring Joey King and Kyle Allen

The In Between is an overwhelming story of life, death and beyond, starring Joey King and Kyle Allen in the lead roles. The movie is directed by Arie Posin, best known for his 2005 film, The Chumscrubber and is written by Marc Klein who has previously written many well-known screenplays including the romantic comedy classic Serendipity, as well as Mirror, Mirror. The supporting cast include Kim Dickens, John Ortiz and Celeste O’Connor.

Netflix describes the movie as:

After losing the love of her life in a tragic accident, a brokenhearted teen begins to believe that he’s sending her signs from beyond the grave.

– The In Between review does not contain spoilers –

The In Between follows the story of Tessa, a young girl with a heart-rending backstory. She is an aspiring photographer who is scared to fall in love, for a warranted reason, but gives it a chance anyway when she meets Skylar, a true romantic. Skylar is charming and has an endearing personality. He had a thing for happy endings but as fate would have it, he doesn’t get one.

After meeting for the first time in a movie theatre, they become seemingly obsessed with each other and shortly after, they start dating. They spend a passionate summer together and had a promising future ahead, but their thriving love story comes to an abrupt end, or so it seems. The audience patiently feels the heartbreak, desperation and confusion in the film, which goes down a path no one could’ve imagined.

Also Read: Love Like the Falling Petals Review: Kento Nakajima, Honoka Matsumoto Star in a Romantic Rollercoaster

The In Between showcase a gripping tale of love and loss, laced with transcendental elements. It describes the emotion of grief in the most palpable way possible. I found the setting of this film to be well constructed, nothing seems rushed or forced. The scenes that induce different feelings that both death and loneliness predominantly evoke – agony, emotional turmoil, sense of terror, play out quite naturally.

The script brilliantly weaves together two distinct storylines, jumping between then and now – before and after the accident, so the viewers get to witness the fierce romance between Tessa and Skylar as well as the pain of losing a loved one, the narrative also evinces a realistic depiction of the ups and downs of relationships.

Marc Klein was able to successfully contrive a raw and pure love story that, manifestly, is soul-stirring. Joey King is one of the finest actors of her age and was an absolute delight to watch. She did a marvellous job at expressing the struggles of her character. Kyle Allen was equally outstanding in his portrayal of Skylar. He is definitely an up-and-coming actor to look out for. King and Allen exude very strong chemistry and look undeniably good together.

The In Between exhibits a powerful revelation: ‘attend to your ghosts – of childhood trauma, unfulfilled dreams, lost love, and embrace them as a part of who you are.’ The theme of romance was eminently well blended, before the tragedy strikes, the pair share quite a few heart-fluttering moments that were utterly wholesome and not too cheesy. Another salient motif of the movie was the incorporation of supernatural fiction that lends an atmosphere of thrill to the story.

The Final Verdict: The In Between

Be ready to break out the tissues because the movie is sure to pull at your heartstrings and make you ugly cry. The journey of love, grief and acceptance, The In Between is deeply moving and heartbreakingly beautiful. In an enthralling manner, the movie explores one of the most difficult conundrums of life: whether to hold on or to let go. While holding on seems comfortable, letting go is, more often than not, intensely healing. In my opinion, the movie is oddly cathartic and a must-watch.

The In Between is now streaming on Netflix.