Each of us only gets to be a teenager once.  Our bodies coursing with hormones and our minds rapidly filling with new information, this is a time that can be chaotic emotionally as we navigate the world while developing into the people we’re going to be.  This chaos, which is formative, is obviously difficult to navigate and leads some kids to places like depression, anxiety, anger, obsession, or some combination thereof.  

Sweetness is the story of one such teenager.  Rylee (Kate Hallett) lives with her father, Ron (Justin Chatwin), and his girlfriend, Marnie (Amanda Brugel).  Her mother passed away before the story begins, and all of this has led Rylee to Payton (Herman Tømmeraas).  Payton is a pop star, and Rylee is obsessed.  His music guided her through the tough times, and she knows in her heart and soul that if she could just meet him, he would be the one person who understands her.  There is exactly no chance they will meet, though, unless, of course, there is. 

Early in the film, Rylee and her best friend Sid (Aya Furukawa) head to one of Payton’s concerts, and after being separated, she begins the long walk home, only to be struck by an impaired driver: Payton. As soon as Rylee notices who hit her, all of her injuries fade away, and when he offers her a lift home, she accepts immediately, because after all, he’s going to be the one to know her.  Of course, Payton, the reformed addict, is off the wagon. Rather than taking her home heads to his dealer, and when they finally get back on the road, he is too inebriated to drive, so she takes him to her house to sleep it off.  

Rylee, convinced that Payton will understand her, is also convinced that she is the one to best help him back into recovery.  There are many places that a story like this can go, but I promise you that while you might be able to guess the end of the story, you definitely won’t be able to guess the way the story gets there.

Most of the film rests on Hallett’s performance, and she strikes just the right balance for what the story is trying to do.  She’s demure and shy, but she’s also obsessed, and as the movie keeps slowly building tension, she becomes a little more off-kilter with each passing moment, and it’s fun to watch. The other standout in the cast is Amanda Brugel, who perfectly encapsulates the energy of “Dad’s new girlfriend wants to be friends”, and she at least tries to see who Rylee is.  Their dynamic adds another layer of tension that feeds back into the main plot well. 

Ultimately, Sweetness is let down a little by its own ambition.  Writer/director Emma Higgins is excellent at using the resources at her disposal to create a visually dynamic and engaging film. Her history as a music video director serves her well, especially in the concert scenes, but also many scenes feature little or no dialogue and rely on this visual storytelling.  The script breaks down a little, though.  The ending of the film feels a touch rushed and montages perhaps a little too much, meaning that it ends up stumbling over what exactly it’s trying to say.  

How successful (or not) it is will ultimately be up to the audience, but either way these stumbles are not dealbreakers. Sweetness is an exploration of obsession that takes twists and turns you won’t be expecting, while Higgins deftly manages the shifts in tone from dark to funny and back again.  Rylee has issues, but the film treats her with empathy for most of its run, despite what she does, and it takes skill to walk that line.  In the end, despite the thematic stumbles, Sweetness is a fun time at the movies.

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Sweetness, in cinemas on March 6th, 2026