The In Between

2022 1h 55m English 5.9

Drama, Fantasy, Romance, Sci-Fi

"Some things are beyond repair." The In Between (2022) by writer, Marc Klein, is a supernatural Love Story about an aspiring photographer, "Tessa" (Joey King) desperately trying to make contact with "Skylar" (Kyle Allen), the boyfriend who died in a car accident (and seems to be trying to get her attention). Via poignant time-line clips, the story follows the grief-stricken Tessa on a backwards journey of reflection from waking up in the hospital (after the accident) to replaying memories of their sweet summer romance. Throughout all this, Skylar's persistent and obvious attempts to let Tessa know he's near, gradually succeed in crossing the line between heaven and earth and into a desperate embrace with the woman he loves and misses. It's a little scary and intense, but this is the moment Tessa has been hoping for. She and Skylar are once again together-Tessa being in a coma--and she must now choose between life on earth and spending eternity with Skylar. What we also see in this heartfelt and suspenseful romance is a masterful execution of romance-film conventions that pull us into the intimate bonding stages of this believable and budding relationship, while subtly tugging at our own emotions and beliefs of the afterlife. It's clever how Tessa's photography-which she never thinks is good enough for others to see--is cleverly woven as both the film's romantic motif as well as Tessa's other passion for living. And though the ending may seem predictable, the narrative has enough emotional twists and turns to make you guess otherwise.—T.B. Hayes