‘Chemical Hearts’ offers very direct dose of poetry and pining
If your tolerance for teenage navel-gazing sits below “very, very high,” you can probably move along. “Chemical Hearts” focuses exclusively on how hard it is to be young, and how difficult it is to cope with the realities of the world when you’re probably nowhere close to understanding your role in it. “You are never more alive than when you’re a teenager,” goes the opening voiceover from Henry (Austin Abrams of “Brad’s Status”), whose last name is Page and also happens to be an aspiring writer who soon becomes editor-in-chief of the school newspaper. That may or may not be a clue about the type of subtlety we’re dealing with here, depending on your ability to detect being splashed in the face with adolescent tears.
Adapted from Krystal Sutherland’s novel by writer-director Richard Tanne (the superior “Southside with You”), the film’s overt, relentless struggle to process its feelings is both a strength and a liability as Henry befriends new girl Grace Town (Lili Reinhart of “Riverdale” and “Hustlers”), who walks with a cane and resists sharing information about her family or much of anything. She says things like "Being young is so painful, it's almost too much to feel" and "Adults are scared kids who were lucky enough to make it out of limbo alive." Meanwhile Henry’s neurosurgeon-in-training sister (Sarah Jones) tells Henry that heartbreak triggers the same part of the brain as physical pain, Henry and Grace discuss Neruda’s thoughts on love and the delayed reveal of Grace’s situation ultimately leads to the grandiose message of “Feelings are confusing.” Though they are, especially when loss and guilt are involved.
This probably all works better as a YA novel; on screen Tanne hits the same notes without hearing new tones within them, and even the most emotionally generous viewer may struggle to avoid releasing an “Ugh” at least once. Of particular concern is the degree to which Grace exists in a vacuum; she interacts with so few other students you begin to wonder if Henry’s imagining her. It does, however, set up the welcome message about Henry learning the difference between fantasy and reality and not being able to fix someone. (He has a hobby of repairing broken pottery FFS.) Chemistry and compatibility aren’t the same, and that, and the always-relevant importance of timing, are lessons without an age limit.
It’s not saying much to say that “Chemical Hearts” easily rises above more sickness-based treacle like “Midnight Sun” and doesn’t come close to the frayed discoveries of “The Spectacular Now.” But it is worth mentioning that Reinhart knows how to play sad without just moping. While the film’s only a footnote in the coming-of-age genre, she’s clearly ready to graduate.
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