The Wattpad-to-Screen Pipeline
If you’re wondering why a movie with an 18% critic score is still being talked about years later, look no further than the source material. After started as a serialized story on Wattpad, a platform where fanfiction and amateur novels go viral. It was originally written as a "dark" fantasy about a real-life pop star, and you can feel those roots in every scene. The pacing is choppy, the dialogue is often clunky, and the plot relies heavily on the kind of "will-they-won't-they" drama that thrives in a chapter-by-chapter mobile app format.
For a teen, the appeal isn't the filmmaking quality—it’s the aesthetic. It looks like a high-budget music video. The movie leans into the "good girl meets bad boy" trope with such intensity that it almost feels like a parody, but for a 15-year-old caught up in the hype, it’s a high-stakes emotional rollercoaster. This is a prime example of the "BookTok" effect, where a story’s popularity on social media creates a feedback loop that bypasses traditional critics entirely.
The "I Can Fix Him" Aesthetic
The real friction here isn't the college partying or the PG-13 steaminess. It’s the power dynamic. The male lead is the classic "damaged" protagonist who uses his past as a shield for poor behavior. He’s moody, secretive, and often treats the relationship like a game. The film frames this as a grand, sweeping romance, which is exactly why it’s a lightning rod for parents.
If your teen is into this, they’re likely engaging with a broader trend of "dark romance" that’s currently dominating streaming services. It’s worth checking out our guide on the media representation of romance and violence to understand why these toxic tropes are trending and how they shape what your teen thinks a "passionate" relationship should look like. The danger isn't that they’ll watch the movie; it’s that they’ll internalize the idea that love requires suffering or "fixing" a partner who treats them poorly.
If Your Teen Wants More
Because After was a massive hit with its target audience (boasting a 64% audience score compared to that dismal critic rating), it predictably spawned multiple sequels. If your kid finishes this one and asks for the next, know that the drama only ramps up. The relationship doesn't magically become healthy in the second or third installment—it just gets more complicated and more soap-opera adjacent.
If they’re looking for that same "first love" intensity but you’d prefer something with a little more substance and a lot less toxicity, there are better options out there. You can find a more curated list of high-quality alternatives in our ultimate guide to the best teen movies.
If they are dead-set on the Netflix teen drama genre, it helps to know which ones are actually worth the runtime. Navigating Netflix's teen movies can be a minefield of "guilty pleasures" and genuine coming-of-age gems. After definitely falls into the former category—it’s the movie equivalent of a candy bar that’s mostly corn syrup. It might be a fun "hate-watch" for a group of friends to laugh at, but as a serious romance, it’s a total mismatch.
