This Too Shall Pass is a coming-of-age romantic comedy that follows 16-year-old Simon as he makes one last stand against his strict Mormon upbringing to seek freedom and self-expression. He embarks on a run across the Canadian border with his tight-knit group of friends to meet a girl with whom he feels a connection. The trip goes awry, and they are forced to confront both outside problems and their own personal issues.
So, I find myself in a strange place when I review this: ‘too shall pass.’ On the one hand, I am aware of the cultural position that an ’80s John Hughes movie has in this day and age, but on the other hand (spoiler alert, I’m a little old), I remember going to see The Breakfast Club at the theater when there was no such thing as a John Hughes movie. So I lived through the formative stages of a lot of the tropes and enjoyed the flicks, but as a queer person, I am very cognizant about their shortcomings. Hell, even before I figured myself out, I was like, I liked Ally Sheedy way more before her makeover.
I was curious to see how director Rob Grant would handle making a film of this type. I must say, he did a great job of paying homage to the 80s while still being nuanced and appealing to a modern teenage audience. The movie addresses some of the genre’s issues while still retaining the enjoyment of watching a teen navigate the ups and downs of their first foray into the big, bold world. The one thing that I think I loved the most was that the teenagers felt like teenagers. They are bold, dumb, questioning, and, most of all, hopeful. The way I remember myself not having a clue but, wanting to reach out to make connections with other people. Too often, young adults in movies just feel like a bunch of forty-year-olds in shorter bodies.
I can’t finish the review without a callout to the soundtrack of This Too Shall Pass. It features The Cure, New Order, Corey Hart, and The Jesus and Mary Chain, and is a wonderfully nostalgic showcase of the bands that provided the backdrop for kids’ lives in that decade.
There are some amazing performances, especially from Maxwell Jenkins and Katie Douglas. Maxwell excels as Simon, giving him an earnestness and relatability that makes the watcher forgive some of the stupid stuff he does. Katie Douglas is a wonder as Misty, the Canadian beauty who simultaneously propels the romance and calls everyone on their bullshit. This Too Shall Pass, which will be released in U.S. theaters and on digital October 24, 2025, and I think anybody who is or was a teenager needs to check it out
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