A couple of popular films have used real college campuses as their settings, such as “Pitch Perfect” at Louisiana State University and “Clueless” at Occidental College. Max has released their newest original movie “Sweethearts” on Thanksgiving which was filmed at various locations of the Ramapo College campus back in 2022 with Ramapo students given the opportunity to appear as extras.
Directed and written by Jordan Weiss from Hulu’s “Dollface,” the film serves as a fun new holiday movie for teens and young adults, with only some minor flaws.
Starring Kiernan Shipka, most known for her starring role in Netflix’s “Chilling Adventures of Sabrina” and Nico Hiraga who gained popularity from “Booksmart,” their characters Jamie and Ben have been best friends since they were in middle school. Now college freshmen, they are still with their partners from high school, Simon (Charlie Hall) and Claire (Ava DeMary), however Jamie and Simon go to Denison College — or Ramapo College of New Jersey — and their partners go to different schools.
Both Jamie and Ben have become uninterested in their partners since arriving at college. They come to the decision that they both need to break up with their partners to explore new opportunities. The problem is that Jamie and Ben will have to see their partners during the upcoming Thanksgiving break.
Jamie and Ben come up with a plan to break up with both Simon and Claire on the Wednesday night before Thanksgiving, or as the characters call it “Drunksgiving.” Jamie and Ben’s other best friend from high school, Palmer (Caleb Hearon), has agreed to help with the breakups since he is hosting a get together on “Drunksgiving.”
Much of the movie was filmed here at Ramapo, mostly the on-campus scenes. Mackin and Bischoff Halls were used as the characters’ dorms, but they were still spotted at other familiar locations. Trustees Pavilion was used as their dining hall, as we see Jamie and Ben frequently spending time there together.
Other places used include Birch Mansion, the Laurel Hall laundry room and part of the South parking lot. The characters were also frequently seen walking around in the Grove and under Ramapo’s iconic arch. Max’s original movie was filmed in other New Jersey towns such as Parkway Lanes bowling alley in Elmwood Park and the Colonial Diner in Lyndhurst. The character’s hometown Cranford, Ohio is also named after Cranford, N.J., which was additionally used as a filming location.
As I thought this was a cool idea for a film, I felt there was too much going on. I liked “Sweethearts” in the beginning, but once Jamie and Ben both left to go back home for Thanksgiving, I got a little lost. There were multiple plots going on at the same time with Jamie and Ben breaking up with their partners while also running into multiple problems, as Palmer tries to find himself.
It is nice to see a film on a popular streaming service being filmed here at Ramapo College. It made for an interesting story to share at Thanksgiving dinner this year.
3/5 stars
jcaramag@ramapo.edu
Featured photo courtesy of @ramapocollegenj, Instagram
