Love. It’s supposed to be beautiful, healing, and tender — right?
That’s the version we grow up with in stories, fairy tales, and romantic comedies. But After We Fell, the third installment in the After series, challenges that comforting narrative. Instead of giving us picture-perfect dates and charming declarations, it delivers raw arguments, possessiveness, jealousy, and heartbreak.
Some call it toxic. Others say it’s just real. Either way, the film forces us to confront a difficult question: What does modern love actually look like — and what are we willing to accept in the name of passion?
The Complicated Core of Tessa and Hardin
At the center of After We Fell is the ever-volatile relationship between Tessa Young and Hardin Scott. By now, fans know their dynamic well — intense chemistry, explosive fights, and a magnetic pull neither can resist.
But in this chapter, something shifts. Their issues no longer feel like growing pains — they feel systemic. Hardin is jealous, angry, and prone to emotional outbursts. Tessa is conflicted, tired, and constantly torn between independence and attachment.
Some critics have labeled their relationship “emotionally abusive.” Others argue that it reflects the kind of intense, all-consuming love that’s common in young adulthood — messy, imperfect, and transformative.
So which is it?
Signs of a Toxic Relationship
Let’s be honest. After We Fell doesn’t shy away from portraying difficult behaviors. Hardin often tries to control Tessa’s decisions. He struggles with trust, lashes out when he feels threatened, and uses guilt as a weapon.
There are scenes that leave viewers uncomfortable — not because they’re badly written, but because they’re too real.
Here are a few red flags that fans and psychologists alike have noted in the Hardin–Tessa dynamic:
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Emotional volatility: Their arguments swing from screaming to kissing in seconds.
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Jealousy and control: Hardin’s insecurities often manifest as possessiveness.
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Poor communication: The two rarely talk through problems — they explode and retreat.
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Trauma bonding: Their connection often seems driven more by pain than stability.
If these were your friends in real life, would you cheer them on or tell them to take a break?
That’s the question After We Fell dares to ask — and it’s what makes it both controversial and compelling.
But Here’s the Twist: It Feels Familiar
Why are so many people drawn to a relationship that seems, by all logic, emotionally exhausting?
Because for many viewers, it mirrors their own experience.
Love, especially young love, is rarely clean. It’s full of insecurity, fear, emotional dependency, and growing pains. After We Fell captures that whirlwind with uncomfortable accuracy.
Tessa isn’t a damsel. She pushes back, asserts her boundaries, and makes mistakes of her own. Hardin isn’t a monster. He’s damaged, yes — but also trying, in his own broken way, to be better.
And that duality — the collision between toxicity and tenderness — is what makes their story hit home.
Modern Love Isn’t a Rom-Com
In an era where social media relationships are curated to perfection, After We Fell offers something different: rawness.
It refuses to simplify love into tropes. It shows us that two people can love each other deeply and still hurt each other profoundly. It challenges the myth that love is always kind, or that strong emotions are automatically healthy.
Is it romantic? Not always.
Is it honest? Painfully so.
The film doesn’t tell us whether Hardin and Tessa are good for each other. It lets us decide. It holds up a mirror to our own relationships, asking: Have we settled for less? Have we confused drama with depth? Do we see ourselves in this mess?
Does the Film Glorify Toxicity? Or Expose It?
This is where things get complicated.
Many critics argue that After We Fell glamorizes a dangerous relationship. That young viewers might see Tessa’s forgiveness as romantic rather than necessary. That Hardin’s brooding behavior is treated as sexy instead of unhealthy.
But defenders of the film — and the book series — see it differently. They argue that the story is not endorsing this relationship, but exploring it. That it’s about two broken people trying (and often failing) to love each other the right way.
In real life, relationships like Hardin and Tessa’s exist. They’re messy, addictive, and hard to leave. After We Fell puts that reality on screen without sugarcoating it. And maybe that’s more powerful — and more valuable — than another idealized romance.
So What’s the Lesson Here?
After We Fell doesn’t give us clear answers, and that might be its most important message.
It reminds us that love isn’t always enough — not when trauma, insecurity, and poor communication get in the way. It challenges us to think critically about what we want in a relationship, what we’re willing to tolerate, and how we define “true love.”
And for some viewers, it opens the door to much-needed conversations about emotional health, boundaries, and growth.
