Netflix’s ‘Heartstopper Forever’ Is a Wistful and Mature Ending for Charlie and Nick’s Love Story: Review

One of the most terrifying aspects of being a teen is the continuous change. Young people are expected to navigate high school, friendships, romance and mental wellness before making major decisions about the future trajectory of their lives. Since its debut four years ago, Netflix’s “Heartstopper,” based on Alice Oseman’s novel and comic of the same name, has captured the magic, energy, joy and terror of this time. Now, in the series finale film, “Heartstopper Forever,” Oseman ushers her characters and the audience toward a new chapter: the heartbreaking and enticing unknown.

“Heartstopper Forever” opens in the fall. It’s Nick’s (Kit Connor) final year of high school, and a lot has changed. No longer a wallflower, Charlie (Joe Locke) is running for Head Boy, and trying to form a club for queer students. He is still working through his eating disorder and his desire to self-harm, but his transparency about his feelings and the work he does with his therapist, Geoff (Eddie Marsan), have allowed him to blossom. Nick is ecstatic to see Charlie bloom, but he doesn’t feel as central to Charlie’s life as he once did. As a result, Nick struggles to show up for this new version of his beau.

Seeing Nick falter isn’t something Charlie is used to. Though he does his best to get the hunky rugby captain to open up to him, expressing emotions doesn’t come naturally for Nick. With Charlie exploring his different interests and college on the horizon, Nick sees the life he’s just settled into slowly slipping away. The hard part about relationships, both romantic and otherwise, is growing and changing alongside your loved one. For these two young men who’ve been wrapped up in each other’s world for years, tomorrow suddenly doesn’t feel inevitable.

It’s not just Nick and Charlie who are going through growing pains. While most of the duo’s friend group have some understanding of what’s next for them, Elle (Yasmin Finney) and Tao (William Gao) can’t seem to get on the same page. Since neither seems willing to adjust plans for the other, a breakup or two appears on the horizon. Still, amid the ups and downs in their romance, the love and friendship they’ve fostered for years keep them anchored to one another. Oseman also spotlights fan favorites like Charlie’s sister, Tori (Jenny Walser), Charlie’s mother, Sarah (Anna Maxwell Martin, taking over for Olivia Colman), as well as Mr. Ajayi (Fisayo Akinade). However, this last chapter is very much the story of Charlie and Nick.

The tone of “Heartstopper Forever” is distinct from the series. Though it retains touches of the vibrant doodle animations that pop up in the frame, and there are flashbacks to some of the most memorable moments in Charlie and Nick’s relationship, the film is much more somber than viewers might expect. There are a few joyous moments, of course, but it isn’t focused on falling in love or trying to navigate sex and intimacy for the first time. It’s about the work required to maintain a connection across different chapters of life.

As the final days of Nick’s childhood slip away, he begins to retreat into himself, closing himself off even when Charlie tries desperately to reach him. The movie accurately illustrates how relationships can shift, depending on which party needs more support.

Though it doesn’t boast the same whimsy as the show, “Heartstopper Forever” is a lovely bookend in a story that has charmed fans from the page to the small screen. Capturing all the emotions wrapped up in growing pains, embracing the future and longing for what was, Oseman delivers a wistful conclusion to Nick and Charlie’s story. A mature and elevated swan song, the movie delivers a fitting goodbye while giving fans a glimpse at the perfect epilogue.

“Heartstopper Forever” is now streaming on Netflix.