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    Movie Review

    Romance and tragedy make a potent mixture in Chemical Hearts

    Alex Bentley
    Aug 19, 2020 | 4:30 pm
    Romance and tragedy make a potent mixture in Chemical Hearts
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    Teenage romances are a tricky thing to pull off. On one hand, the allure of young love is something that is universal, and thus eternal. On the other, the lasting power of teenage relationships is notoriously low, so putting stock into them, even in the fantasy world of movies, is a fool’s errand.

    Chemical Hearts, based on the 2016 novel Our Chemical Hearts by Krystal Sutherland, is a tragic love story where most of the tragedy happens before the two main characters meet. Henry (Austin Abrams) is a high school senior whose longtime goal was to become the editor of his school newspaper. His plans are altered when Grace (Lili Reinhart), a transfer student, joins the staff and is named co-editor by the faculty advisor.

    Grace, who uses a cane following a car accident, is initially sullen and withdrawn, but gradually opens up thanks to Henry’s kindness and persistence. As the two grow closer, the reasons for Grace’s gloominess become clearer, putting a crimp in their burgeoning relationship. Henry must try to navigate Grace’s ever-changing moods, while Grace tries to keep herself from falling to far into the darkness.

    The film is the sophomore effort by writer/director Richard Tanne, who also wrote and directed Southside by You, which detailed Michelle and Barack Obama’s first date. This one takes a little while longer to get going, but once Tanne establishes Henry and Grace’s bond, it grabs hold of the viewer and doesn’t let go. Even through the barrier of Grace’s physical and mental pain, the chemistry of the two characters is evident.

    Still, the trauma resulting from Grace’s car crash puts a cloud over the entire story, which is as much about her depression/PTSD as it is about the growing feelings between her and Henry. The complicated nature of her feelings about Henry become all the more complex when you bring in the other parts of her life, which contain events that are unenviable, to say the least.

    The film is not quite as successful when it comes with dealing with Henry’s quirky group of friends, who work alongside Henry and Grace at the newspaper. One, Muz (C.J. Hoff), is a cypher who only seems to exist to show that Henry has a male friend of some type. The other, La (Kara Young), is gay, and is given her own will they/won’t they romance with Cora (Coral Peña). However, the film doesn’t quite have enough energy to spend on their relationship, so it comes off as inclusion merely for the sake of inclusion.

    Abrams has built up a nice resumé in the last few years, starring in the underrated Brad’s Status and impressing in guest roles on both Euphoria and This is Us. He’s not a dynamic performer, but he’s steady and reliable, which makes him interesting. Reinhart, best known as Betty on Riverdale, turns in a nuanced performance here that makes her someone to watch in the near future.

    Romance tinged with tragedy is a staple of young adult movies in recent years, and Chemical Hearts fits right in with the best of them. It never tries to be much more than what it needs to be, delivering a story that touches the heart in multiple ways.

    ---

    Chemical Hearts debuts exclusively on Amazon Prime Video on August 21.

    Coral Peña, Kara Young, Austin Abrams, and C.J. Hoff in Chemical Hearts.

    Coral Pe\u00f1a, Kara Young, Austin Abrams, and C.J. Hoff in Chemical Hearts
      
    Photo courtesy of Amazon Studios
    Coral Peña, Kara Young, Austin Abrams, and C.J. Hoff in Chemical Hearts.
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    Venue News

    McKinney breaks ground on new Sunset Amphitheater live music venue

    Teresa Gubbins
    Jun 20, 2025 | 3:44 pm
    Sunset Amphitheater McKinney
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    The ground was at last broken on a new live music view opening in 2026: Sunset Amphitheater powered by Eight Elite Light Beer, a 20,000-seat facility located at the northeast corner of US 75 and SH 121 in McKinney, slated to open in 2026.

    The $300 million venue is being developed as part of a public-private partnership between Venu, the City of McKinney, the McKinney Economic Development Corporation, and the McKinney Community Development Corporation.

    Venu is a Colorado-based hospitality and live music venue developer formerly known as Notes Live, with multiple concepts in the works (many seeking funding) including Sunset Amphitheater, which they're opening in Oklahoma and El Paso, as well as McKinney.

    The Sunset Amphitheater at McKinney powered by Eight Elite Light Beer may be a mouthful of a name but it also reveals that it has already landed a sponor in the beer company launched by ex-Dallas Cowboys Troy Aikman.

    The venue will feature a flexible multi-season configuration for year-round programming, with suites, members-only club, canopied roof, and wind walls, to provide protection from inclement weather and comfortable atmosphere in the winter.

    There will also be food and beverage through a partnership with Aramark Sports + Entertainment, a massive enterprise that provides food services to NBA and NHL arenas, baseball fields, zoos, college facillities, and more.

    The members-only club is called The Aikman Club, in collaboration with Troy Aikman, and will be nestled at the center of the amphitheater: a one-of-a-kind space with "world-class cuisine," unmatched views, premium seating, and high-end amenities for its elite members.

    “We’re so excited to be here,” said Venu founder and CEO J.W. Roth in a statement. “We’re gonna build the most luxurious, fully seated, multi configuration, multi seasonal venue in history right here in McKinney. The organizations here in McKinney have been nothing short of incredible. This groundbreaking wouldn't be possible without that unwavering passion of the folks of McKinney.”

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