Taylor Swift was the first concert I ever went to. I’ve been a Swifty since early middle school. This was back when she still had her sparkly guitar and performed songs like Picture to Burn or Our Song. I listened to Our Song on replay so many times that my mom was forced to take me to her concert. All of her albums have since been incredible, but Red (Taylor’s Version) is on a whole new level. Her All too Well short film is one of my favorite things she has ever released. Enjoy this short summary and my take on All too Well.
We’ve all been in a relationship where it feels heavenly at the beginning. It feels new, exciting, perfect; it feels like everything you’ve ever dreamed of. This is how All too Well begins. The female protagonist leaves her scarf at the male protagonist’s house as they start the dating scene. The two protagonists meet each other’s families and do everything alongside one another. They plan for a future together while we hear Taylor sing.
Then we see the first cracks in the glass: first argument, the first look of fear in the female protagonist’s eyes, the first hint of this being something she might not be interested in, the first time she sees a side of him that she has never seen before. After a group dinner scene, where the male distinctly drops the female’s hand, they engage in a back & forth argument. He gaslights her, tells her she’s acting crazy, and makes her feel small.
This really hit home for me in so many ways. I have experienced this relationship situation numerous times, as I’m sure many of us have. The hope, in the beginning, the excuses for the fights, the toxicity, and the borderline mental abuse is so confusing. The breakup and re-starts are heartbreaking and deteriorating to a person’s mental health.
Moments following this argument, after a few tears, they hug and everything is back to normal. I can see in her eyes that this is the moment she realizes the love they once knew is long gone.
Flashbacks of good memories and occasional happy moments play. However, we also see them go through arguments and emotional breakdowns. Despite all of this, she stays, that is until she leaves.
Then we see her at her breaking point: the heartbreak, ignored phone calls, crying herself to sleep. In the following days, thoughts are constantly running through her head making her wonder what went wrong and blaming herself for the destruction.
In the past, I have felt that my final breakups almost feel relieving, and at the same time leave me completely shattered. Have you felt like your world is over and you are drowning in your own tears? I have come to learn that these are the times where we learn the most about ourselves. We come out of it on the other side shining brighter than ever before. We learn our self-worth and realize what we do and do not deserve.
“Maybe I asked for too much. Maybe this thing was a masterpiece until we tore it all up,” Taylor sings.
After a montage of memories that come flooding in, she stumbles over words trying to come up with what happened. She comes up with one word. Him. He happened.
While trying to find her old self after getting her things mailed back; she realizes she’s alone but in the best way. He keeps her scarf because it smells like her and reminds him of her and she lets him keep it.
Thirteen years pass and she still remembers what it felt like to be with him. The twin flame that they had. The blue she felt. She still remembers everything. She remembers it all too well.
The All Too Well short film shortened year-long relations down to 14 minutes and 55 seconds. It was a simple reminder that relationships don’t always work out with the people we desperately want, but you have to think of the good things that can come out on the other side of the breakup. These relationships teach us things about ourselves along with what we desire in a future partner, even if it hurts at the moment.
If you are in the midst of this situation, I pray that you take a step back and realize that this isn’t how love is supposed to be. Love is supposed to be happy and uplifting. Sure, there are arguments but never to the extent where you feel torn apart. One day, you will find someone who you have only dreamt about. I promise they are out there. Coming from someone who always thought they would never find their “person,” I promise he or she is out there. Stop settling for people who treat you less than your worth. Because one day, you will find someone and they will treat you like their everything. You’ll find them in the place you least expect it, and it will be better than anything you ever could have imagined.