Based on the novel by Sarah Dessen, Along For The Ride is a coming of age story. It’s the summer before college and Auden (Emma Pasarow) has moved in with her father (Dermot Mulroney), his trophy wife (Kate Bosworth) and their new baby in the quaint beach town of Colby. When Auden finds that she can’t sleep, she stumbles upon Eli (Belmont Cameli), a fellow insomniac. The two decide to embark on a nightly quest filled with all the things Auden missed out on growing up.

Having never read the book, I was curious about the movie from the moment I saw it on Netflix. I liked the idea of two people who are seemingly complete opposites coming together in the dead of the night to knock off items from a bucket list while falling in love in the process.

A big sell for me here was it’s cast. Although I wasn’t familiar with either Pasarow or Cameli, I thought they did a good job in their roles of Auden and Eli. They brought great chemistry to their characters’ relationship. Dermot Mulroney has always been easy on the eyes and it was a pleasant surprise to see Kate Bosworth in something again. I used to be a big fan of hers back in the early 2000s. With Andie MacDowell as Auden’s mother, it was pretty well rounded.

Another aspect I loved was the portrayal of female friendships. Auden becoming close with Maggie (Laura Kariuki), Leah (Genevieve Hannelius) and Esther (Samia Finnerty) was a joy to watch. We need more of this! I also loved the relationship between Auden, her mother and her stepmother. And how could I leave out the aesthetically pleasing pastel colored beach vibes?

Overall, Along For The Ride was a cute film that fans of the teenage romance genre will enjoy. It wasn’t anything groundbreaking and pretty predictable, but it serves as a great summer flick.

Rating: ♥♥.5