CHEMICAL HEARTS

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Richard Tanne

Lili Reinhart, Austin Abrams, Sarah Jones

Teen love has rarely been lacking in cinema, but it’s always refreshing to see it depicted with depth and integrity. Chemical Hearts breaks down stages of grief, frustration and desire, letting Austin Abrams (Euphoria) and Lili Reinhart (Riverdale) give young adults another story to hold on to. With a script full of lines ready-made for social-media posts, the film boasts eloquent rationalisations of emotions delivered in an atmospheric package. It’s a shame, then, that it’s experienced through the eyes of the boy, who has lived so little, fascinated with a girl who has done so much — but this film is still certainly more bravely and beautifully realised than most adolescent-angst flicks.