Grief is universal, but how we handle it is not. Everyone who has lost someone has their own story and way of dealing with it. Passionflix’s latest adaptation, The Air He Breathes, follows two people working to find their way through the grief that has taken hold of their lives.
Based on the book of the same name by author Brittainy Cherry, “The Air He Breathes follows Elizabeth (Kelcie Stranahan) and Tristan (Ryan Carnes), who find solace and healing in each other’s company after suffering devastating losses. As they navigate their grief and past traumas, they discover the power of love and second chances.”
I’ve seen many Passionflix movies over the years, but I have to say The Air He Breathes was the first one that made me cry several times from start to finish. When we’re introduced to Elizabeth and Tristan, they are both on their grief journeys. Elizabeth, who lost her husband, Steven, has decided to take her little girl Emma (The incredibly adorable Charlotte Ann Tucker) back home to Meadows Creek to try and start fresh. Meanwhile, Tristan, who lost his wife Jamie and their son Charlie, has essentially run away and gone into a sort of hiding. When the two meet, it’s not under the best circumstances because she accidentally hits his dog, Zeus, while driving. Naturally, this is not the best way to meet someone, and Tristan is rightfully upset. But Elizabeth sees something in Tristan. She sees the vulnerability under the anger and frustration, especially when he breaks down after hearing that Zeus will be fine.
As Elizabeth gets settled back home, she learns that Tristan is her next-door neighbor. This quickly sends us right into the good old enemies-to-lovers trope, which is one of my personal favorites. Even though almost everyone in town seems to have something negative to say about Tristan, Elizabeth sees beyond that because she senses something in him. She also appears to identify with him in many ways because she knows what it’s like to have the people in town pass judgment on her. Everyone expects her to behave a certain way since she lost her husband, which is tough enough because she’s still trying to figure out how to exist without him.
Tristan is a bit of a recluse in some ways because he makes it a point to keep his distance from everyone, and he’s just existing and not living. That is until Elizabeth enters his life. Try as he might, he really can’t avoid her. I mean, she lives next door. And secretly, he enjoys her company. Come on, how many people do you know that would willingly cut someone’s grass? Sure, Tristan initially claimed that he did it because he didn’t want her to wake up the neighborhood, but when he learned that, like him, she had lost her spouse, his views on her changed. During this time, Elizabeth and Tristan learn that they are not so different.
Soon, Elizabeth and Tristan begin spending a lot of time together. He helps her out a lot with the maintenance of her home. As they grow closer, their relationship shifts, and they sleep together. However, the twist is that they both agree they will use each other to keep the memory of their spouses alive. What could possibly go wrong? Except, you know, both genuinely develop feelings for each other. Elizabeth and Tristan are not emotionally equipped to have relationships that do not involve real feelings. They both love hard, and that’s obvious in the way they each love their spouses, Steven and Jamie. Watching their love scene was heartbreakingly beautiful because they feel everything so deeply. To some people, it probably seemed weird that they would do this, but ultimately, we all want to be loved and seek companionship. That’s the void these two were filling.
Even when they decide that sleeping together involves too much of their hearts, Tristan makes it clear he still wants Elizabeth in his life. Even if that means they can only be friends. And of course, we all know that doesn’t work either because these two have already been intimate, and now they know what it’s like, so it becomes even more difficult for them. As the saying goes, the heart wants what it wants. And Tristan and Elizabeth want each other. Unfortunately for them, there are a lot of people who don’t want them to be together. And old wounds are opened up in ways none were even prepared for. I am NOT going to go into that any further because I wouldn’t want to spoil the twist I didn’t see coming when I read Cherry’s book.
The Air He Breathes was a well-done book-to-screen adaptation. Both Stranahan and Carnes gave powerful performances as Elizabeth and Tristan. Stranahan added such a lightness to Elizabeth; there was a quiet stillness about her approach that was also so palpable. I also have to acknowledge that she brought out Elizabeth’s fiery nature. Carnes, whose character is a man of few words at first, was able to convey Tristan’s closed-off demeanor, and I loved that we could slowly, bit by bit, begin to see him become more open again to friendship and then to loving and being loved again. As I said, quite a few tears were shed while watching this. It’s probably the same amount as I did when I read the book.
I have to say this may be one of my new favorite films adapted by Passionflix. Director Rachel Annette Helson and Cinematographer Sean Conley created something beautiful with this film, showing a lot of care with Brittainy Cherry’s book. Her characters were indeed in great hands because it’s daunting to try and capture a story that not just the author loves but readers as well. We all know that readers are picky when we hear the words “book-to-screen adaptation,” so it’s beautiful when a director gets it right. If you’re looking for a romantic drama (believe me, The Air He Breathes has the drama) with heart and some twists that will make your jaw drop, this is the film for you.
The Air He Breathes is now streaming on Passionflix.
