It is not easy to fight your demons. It is not easy to face the harsh realities of life. It is not easy to keep walking when you feel that the world has kept all the burden on your shoulders. Everybody has regrets, but helplessness arises when you realize that you cannot do anything about it. Being in a constant state of conflict with your own vulnerabilities and insecurities is hard but coming to terms with the fact that the battle scars will never heal is harder. Directed by Castille Landon, “After Ever Happy” is the fourth film of the “After” franchise and is based on the novels written by Anna Todd. In the previous installment, titled “After We Fell,” we saw that Hardin got to know that Christian Vance was his biological father. He unintentionally went to a room where he found his mother and Christian sharing an intimate moment. He thought that it was merely a moment where both of them gave in to their carnal desires, but he realized that there was more to it. For 21 years, Hardin had thought that Ken Scott was his father. The revelation made him numb. He couldn’t process anything. Life had been unfair to Hardin, but now it seemed like the nightmares were never going to end. He went and confronted his mother and told her that somewhere he was bearing the consequences of the choices she had made in her life. So, let’s see what “After Ever Happy” has in store for us and how this unforeseen revelation impacts the lives of Hardin and Tessa.
Spoilers Ahead
Plot Summary: What Is The Film About?
Hardin was devastated to know the truth. He didn’t know what to do next. He didn’t know whether he should validate the actions of his mother or get angry with her. He realized that there was no way to solve this conflict. He knew that he would have to accept things as they were. He could get angry with the world for being so unfair, but that wouldn’t change the past. Christian Vance was his father, and he had to accept that fact sooner or later. Tessa, too, didn’t know how to fix Hardin. She didn’t know what to tell him that would make him feel at peace. She told him that she loved him and that she would always be standing next to him no matter what, but that wasn’t enough to pacify him. Tessa tells Kimberly (wife of Christian Vance) that she is feeling lost. She didn’t know where her relationship was leading to. She loved Hardin, but time and again she felt that it would never work with him. It was true that whenever they had a fight, Hardin always came back and tried to mend their relationship. But it was just a matter of time when, once again, the pattern repeated itself. Tessa was tired of fighting the odds. She wanted some peace in her life. She decided that she would go and try talking to Hardin. She decided to give her relationship one last chance. Hardin had gone to Mark’s house. He wanted to drown himself in alcohol and forget everything that had happened. Tessa found where he was and went to bring him back. She found him with a girl at the party. She knew that Hardin didn’t want to face the situation. She urged him to face his demons and not go into hiding like a coward. They had an argument, and Tessa left the premises. She had made up her mind that things wouldn’t work between them and that there was no point in unnecessarily trying to avoid the inevitable.
Tessa goes back to Washington State alone. Everything reminded her of the beautiful time she spent there with Hardin. Landon, Hardin’s stepbrother, was always there to support her. Tessa was still coping with her separation when she found out that her father’s drug addiction led him to his fateful end. She found him lying on the floor with a syringe in his hand. Landon told Hardin about the demise of Tessa’s father. Landon knew that only Hardin could help Tessa. Hardin came back to the States. He made all the arrangements for the funeral and tried to be emotionally available to the girl whom he loved with all his heart. It felt that maybe this time, things would get back on track. But Tessa had made up her mind that she wanted some time off. She wanted to be by herself and understand what she wanted from life. She tells Hardin that she has already planned to move to New York, and she wanted to stay there with Landon for a while. Landon, being the good friend that he was, supported her decision. Hardin was mad at Landon for not informing him about Tessa’s decision. Hardin screams in frustration. Life itself had become a burden, and a troubled Hardin just wanted to escape from the worst nightmare of his life.
‘After Ever Happy’ Ending Explained: Do Tessa And Hardin End Up Together? What Happened In New York?
Tessa started her new life. She started working two jobs in order to divert her attention from the developments that had transpired in the past. Hardin, too, started walking on the road to redemption. He wanted to make his life better. He wanted to become the kind of man with whom Tessa would happily spend her life. He went to a rehabilitation center to get rid of his problem of alcoholism. Something extraordinary happened during those rehab sessions. He read extracts from his personal diary. There were a lot of personal details in there, and he read everything. People are amused by the story. They urged him to get it published. Hardin had never written it with the intention of getting it published, but the kind of response he got from the others gave him a sense of purpose. He knew that maybe he could bring his life back on track through it. He didn’t tell Tessa about it, though. He got an offer from a publisher in New York. He called Landon and told him that he would be coming to New York. He didn’t reveal the purpose of his visit. He was not trying to hide anything, but he just wanted to tell Tessa at the right time.
Tessa was skeptical about meeting Hardin, but once she did, hope was rekindled. She saw that he had left alcohol for good and that he was a changed man. She could feel the transformation. She started entertaining the thought of living her life with him. Things were looking positive when Tessa stumbled upon a manuscript. It was the rough draft of the novel that Hardin had been writing. Tessa read the whole thing and confronted Hardin. She was angry with him because it was her life story too, that he was planning on telling the whole world. Hardin had always been very secretive about whatever he wrote in his journal. He even didn’t tell Tessa about it, and now he was getting it published. Hardin always wanted it to be a story of forgiveness and unconditional love, but Tessa didn’t see it that way. She felt violated. She decided that it was about time she left Hardin for good. They both go their separate ways. The novel got printed, and it got great reviews from critics. They called the story heartbreaking and applauded the writer, Hardin Scott. At the end of “After Ever Happy,” we see that Tessa ditched her date and went to see Hardin in a book reading session. She didn’t meet him but only stood there staring at him. She left the place without getting noticed. Hardin never saw her, but he felt her presence. He felt her warmth. They both still craved each other, but they couldn’t do anything about it.
“After Ever Happy” ends, but the story of Tessa and Hardin still isn’t over. The makers have already announced a fifth installment of the franchise (titled “After Everything”). Maybe in the upcoming film, Tessa and Hardin will be able to decipher what they actually wanted from life and whether it was possible for them to lead their lives without each other or was it a better idea to stick together through thick and thin.
“After Ever Happy” is a 2022 Drama Romance film directed by Castille Landon.
FAQs
Hardin somehow makes this about himself and Tessa is upset that he isn't sympathising with her. He apologises to Tessa and they reconcile.
Do Hardin and Tessa end up together in after everything? ›
Unlike the book it's based on (which ends with a flash-forward where Tessa and Hardin have two children), the fourth movie ends on a bleaker note as Tessa and Hardin aren't together.
What did Hardin do to Tessa at the end of after? ›
After dinner, Hardin admits to Tessa that he wants her more than he has ever wanted another person or thing in his whole life. Tessa realizes this is an admission of his genuine feelings for her, and she kisses him. Hardin performs oral sex on Tessa, and then they return to the dining room.
What tragedy happens to Tessa in After Ever Happy? ›
Hardin discovers who his real father is, prompting him to burn his mother's apartment down. Just a couple of days later, Tessa finds her father dead on her bathroom floor following an overdose. Tragedies like these are mere casualties in the “After” series.
Does Tessa get pregnant in the third after movie? ›
Two years after graduating NYU, Hardin and Tessa fall pregnant after trying for quite some time and even sadly suffering a miscarriage. After welcoming a miracle baby girl they welcome a baby boy six years later – who would have thought Hardin would be a parent to two kids!?
Does Tessa marry Hardin? ›
Hardin comes to visit every weekend even though he is now a famous author of the book he wrote about their relationship. At Landon's wedding Hardin proposes and he and Tessa run off to Vegas to get married. After a miscarriage, they have a daughter and a son.
Is there going to be a 5th After? ›
After Everything has been confirmed as the fifth movie instalment to the After film series and we couldn't be more excited!
Will there be a 4 part of After? ›
The stormy romance between Hardin and Tessa is set to reach its conclusion in the upcoming film. College students Tessa and Hardin continue their torrid relationship in After Ever Happy, the fourth instalment in the film series based on Anna Todd's YA romance novels.
How did Hardin betray Tessa? ›
The biggest change in the movie is the ending. The book ends with Tessa finding out a shocking betrayal from Harry — I mean Hardin. Hardin made a bet with his edgy friends to take Tessa's virginity, which he succeeded in taking.
Does Tessa sleep with Zed? ›
They fight about it and, still drunk, Tessa suggests they have sex. They do, but in the morning, she's less than happy about it.
And because Anna Todd is the queen of cliffhanger endings,"After We Fell" wraps up with a shocker: Hardin learns his mother has been having a long-term affair dating back to when she originally got together with Hardin's father.
Who married Tessa? ›
After Jem becomes a Silent Brother, Tessa marries Will and has two children during their 60-year-marriage, Lucie and James, both of whom would go on to become the ancestors of the Blackthorn and the Herondale families.
Who does Tessa end up with in happily ever afters? ›
Late Adulthood. In the future, Tessa shares an apartment with Hardin in New York and works as a wedding planner. The two have a daughter named Emery and a son named Auden.
Will there be another movie after After Ever Happy? ›
After Ever Happy will have a part 2 in 2023, even though After Every Happy was initially supposed to be the end of Tessa and Hardin's story. The title of the upcoming film is called After Everything. It's set to debut sometime in 2023, although there's no actual release date confirmed as of Dec. 29th, 2022.
Did Tessa get married? ›
Tesla never married, but he admitted to falling in love with a very special white pigeon that visited him regularly. He reportedly said, “I loved that pigeon as a man loves a woman, and she loved me.
Who assaults Tessa? ›
Background. Dan had it out for Hardin for sleeping with and exploiting his sister. He attempted to sexually assault Tessa after Steph drugged her to get revenge on Hardin. His efforts were thwarted, and no legal charges were pressed against him.
How does the after book series end? ›
Eventually, Tessa and Hardin become parents to two children called Emery and Auden. The final part of the book flashes all the way forward to a teenage Emery heading off to school with her younger brother Auden. Hardin and Tessa, both now middle-aged, watch on as they leave.
Is Hardin Christian's son After we fell? ›
Status. Christian Vance is a fictional character from the After series written by Anna Todd. He is the biological father of the male protagonist, Hardin Scott. In the After film series, Christian is portrayed by Charlie Weber and Stephen Moyer.
Does Tessa get assaulted? ›
He leaves Tess in the woods as he goes to find a cottage for directions back to Trantridge. When Alec returns to Tess, he finds her asleep and rapes her, knowing he has worn down Tess' defenses over the last few months. Alec uses all types of methods to achieve his goal, from light sexual teasing to forcible rape.
Is Tessa pregnant with Hardin? ›
While there is no suggestion that Tessa becomes pregnant in After Ever Happy, the film franchise will continue with a sequel film exploring the lives of Tessa and Hardin's eventual children.
It is undisclosed in the books if Tessa and he ever marry, but they live together in an apartment in New York. They have two children: a daughter named Emery and a son named Auden.
Does Hardin get a tattoo for Tessa? ›
For anyone who hasn't read the books — spoiler alert — Hardin ends up getting a tattoo inspired by his toxic relationship with Tessa (Josephine Langford). From the beginning of this emotional roller-coaster love story, the two bonded over their love of literature — specifically that of Jane Austen.
Will there be 6 After movies? ›
That's right, After Ever Happy is *not* the end of the love story! And while fans were already expecting a prequel film that was previously announced, the new fifth film—titled After Everything—will now serve as the big finale to the After series.
Is After 5 the last movie? ›
Yes! Although at one stage it looked like After Ever Happy might be the final movie in the franchise, it was confirmed in August 2022 that a fifth film is also on the way.
What is After 5 called? ›
After fans, it's time to get excited - as a fifth film is officially on the way! Following on from the four existing After movies, Hardin and Tessa are returning to screens for a surprise new instalment titled After Everything.
How old is Tessa in After 4? ›
When she returns to the apartment she shared with Hardin, she is surprised to find that he got her a very thoughtful birthday present: A Kindle with all of her favorite books on it. That makes Tessa 19 years old at the end of After We Collided.
What will the 4th After movie be called? ›
User reviews62. If only it was After all. After Ever Happy is the fourth film in the After film series. The film is directed by Castille Landon, who also directed the third installment of the series.
What will After 4 Be Called? ›
The fourth entry in the teen romance movie series After is called After Ever Happy and is headed to Netflix in multiple regions including the US in December 2022. Based on the novels by Anna Todd, the After movies are often heavily criticized because of their poor screenplays and sometimes atrocious acting.
Do Hardin and Tessa get married in the movie After Ever Happy? ›
(view spoiler) Hardin & Tessa are married and have 2 kids.
Does Tessa marry Hardin in After Ever Happy? ›
Hardin comes to visit every weekend even though he is now a famous author of the book he wrote about their relationship. At Landon's wedding Hardin proposes and he and Tessa run off to Vegas to get married. After a miscarriage, they have a daughter and a son.
Late Adulthood. In the future, Tessa shares an apartment with Hardin in New York and works as a wedding planner. The two have a daughter named Emery and a son named Auden.
Who does Tessa date in After Ever Happy? ›
The latest installment in the After franchise, After Ever Happy takes place after the events of its previous movie After We Fell. Our two lovebirds, Tessa Young and Hardin Scott make a return as they come face to face new problems and are stuck at crossroads in their relationship.
