EVERY YEAR AFTER is a rom/com, coming-of-age series based upon the novel, EVERY SUMMER AFTER, by Carley Fortune. It is a slow-moving saga that needed to trimmed and better edited. The plot seemed to move at snail-pacing to get to the life-changing conundrum that altered three teenagers’ trajectory. It ended with a cliffhanger so maybe there will be more obstacles explored in the present and future timelines. I have mixed feelings about that.
The casting seemed out of whack. I always gate it when actors look and sound older than they are supposed to be. There were two actors cast for each of the three main characters. The present characters portrayed themselves too young and the past characters played themselves too old. They all looked great on screen, but it didn’t make me a believer of the tale being told. It was definitely PG.
I was confused as to what direction I was being led and guided to watch. There was far too much talking and not enough showing of the emotional arcs Percy, Sam, and Charlie were going through. I wanted to feel their angst, their yearning. The characters wiped away their tears too quickly each time there was a disastrous moment. In the end, I really felt more connected to the supporting cast. Jordie, Chantal, and Delilah were far more interesting. This is always not a good sign.
EVERY YEAR AFTER did feature a stunning lake location. It made me want to go and sit on that fabulous dock, but this was not enough. I was disappointed. I kept thinking it would improve, but alas, it never did. The formulaic plot outline was just too bland for my taste. It is streaming on Amazon Prime.
