Sometimes the past comes back to haunt you, and sometimes it’s simply here to give you a second chance. Jenny Hill-Devlin (Jana Allen) is stuck between the two, unsure whether she should trust this second chance, or if she needs to keep the past behind her. She is often begged to Remember Yesterday, but that proves to be far more challenging than expected. Can Jenny find her way, or will she fall victim to the ghosts of her past?
When Remember Yesterday was presented to me, my first thought was that I typically can’t stand romantic comedies, and that I was afraid that this film would fall into the same category as most of the other films of the genre. Sadly, I couldn’t have been more right. The film fails to entertain on so many levels, as the comedy is sparse, the acting is subpar, and the storyline is far from endearing. Every once in a while I think about a group of people sitting down and pitching the idea of a film to one another, then, further down the line, how one of those chosen stories has survived all the way through post-production, and others look at the finished product and believe that it’s acceptable. Remember Yesterday is one of those films, one of the films where the mere fact that it was believed to be a successful film at any point throughout its journey baffles me. I’ve tried for days now to muster up some positive comment about the film, and the only thing that has come to me is the tenacity of Writer-Director J.R. Rodriguez.
The thing that frustrated me the most throughout the course of Remember Yesterday is the fact that many of the lines and instances that occur throughout the film simply don’t make sense. They either don’t belong in the film (and should have been promptly cut out) or they just make no sense at all–and they serve no purpose (not only just in Remember Yesterday, but in the grand scheme of life). Things like calling out someone’s sexuality or telling another character that they are drunk exist throughout the film–and I can’t understand why. One of the characters, after mentioning someone’s sexuality, says something to the effect of “I didn’t know what to say,” and that’s what it feels like in terms of the film in general. It feels like this team didn’t know where to go or what to do, so they said and did whatever came to mind.
The acting made me cringe from beginning to end, the comedy barely exists, and the dialogue, once again, is laughable (truly the only funny thing–in the worst way possible–about the entire film).
Allen and Adrian Monte (John Raymond) don’t have the capacity to lead a film–at least not this one. Maybe there is some untapped potential that exists inside of them, and maybe there’s a chance that they find themselves capable of delivering at some point down the road–but Remember Yesterday showcases nothing but struggle.
Comedy is an important part of a rom com–considering the fact that half of the sub-genres’ designation is literally “comedy.” Rodriguez appears to attempt subtle comedy; not something that will necessarily make viewers laugh out loud, but rather adore and to which they will be able to relate. Whatever his goal actually was, it never reaches viewers, and it falls on deaf ears. Remember Yesterday ultimately becomes a cringey mess as a result of the writing, direction, acting, and everything in between.
In what can only be described as a Hallmark movie (which is not a compliment), Remember Yesterday fails to develop any sort of emotional connection with viewers, plausible characters, or a storyline that sparks any interest. Remember Yesterday can’t really fall under the category of rom com because there simply is no comedy, only dead space in a painfully boring film. The film never develops, never sparks any interest in viewers, and fails to do anything other than waste time.
Written & Directed by J.R. Rodriguez.
Starring Jana Allen, Adrian Monte, Ron Fallica, Rick Forrester, Marley Aliah, etc.
⭐⭐½/10
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