Heartstopper Forever is the perfect goodbye to Charlie, Nick, and the gang – although it is very sad knowing this is the end.
It always sad to say goodbye to the characters in your favorite franchise. Heartstopper is officially coming to an end after three seasons and a movie, and what a bittersweet ending it was. While I wish we had more time with Nick, Charlie, and the rest of the gang, all good things must come to an end. Thankfully, Heartstopper Forever was satisfying, even if it was only two hours long.
The film (rightfully) spends the majority of its time on Nick and Charlie. Fans have hoped for them to be endgame from the start of the series, but they have had their fair share of troubles. Everyone says that teenage relationships do not last, but if anyone can make it, it is them.
Where Nick has been Charlie’s rock in the past, things take a bit of a turn in the finale special. Now it is Charlie’s turn to be there for Nick, although he is not making it easy. But what fun would that be if it was a movie filled with sunshine and rainbows? Of course there has to be some conflict.
And that conflict doesn’t just go for Nick and Charlie. Tao and Elle have had their issues in the past as well, but Heartstopper Forever takes this a bit further. A full season four for the series would have meant double the run time, and a chance to get to explore this deeper, however the two hour film meant this relationship did not get as much time as it perhaps should have.
That said, it is understandable that the majority of the film should be spent on Nick and Charlie. The other friends (Isaac, Tara, Darcy, Tori, and Michael) have a little bit of time on screen but not nearly enough in my opinion. My one issue with the movie is that I wanted more of the other relationships. Things seemed to rush by, and while there was an Epilogue that caught us up with everyone, it just felt like we should have been given more. However, that is really just a selfish thought because the movie did do the best that it could with just two hours to do it in.
The same could be said for Charlie’s run at Head Boy, which is what the movie starts off with, as well as what he does with that new title. Alfie is an adorable addition to the cast and since we did not get nearly enough of him, I must beg for a spin-off. I would love to see his journey and how Charlie paved the way for him. Much like Love, Victor followed Love, Simon.
Overall, I can’t fault Heartstopper Forever for what it gave us. A bittersweet goodbye to so many characters that we have come to love and root for. It would have felt less rushed if we were given a final season instead of a movie, but it still managed to bring turmoil, an emotional roller coaster, and a fitting ending.
Rating: 8 out of 10
About Heartstopper Forever
Nick and Charlie are inseparable, but with Nick preparing to leave for university and Charlie finding new independence at school, the reality of a long-distance relationship begins to weigh on them. Doubts take hold, and their relationship faces its biggest challenge yet. Meanwhile, their friends are also navigating the ups and downs of love and friendship, confronting the bittersweet challenges of growing up and moving on. Can first loves really last forever?
Heartstopper Forever is now streaming on Netflix.
