Taylor Swift has released the re-recording of her 2012 album: Red (Taylor’s Version), and everyone is talking about the heartbreaking 10-minute version of “All Too Well.”
Although the song wasn’t a single when the album originally came out nine years ago, the break-up song soon captured fan’s hearts.
Get ready to cry some more, as an accompanying short film for the song has also been released (and it’s an emotional one).
The 15-minute film stars 19-year-old Stranger Things actor Sadie Sink and the 30-year-old Mazerunner actor Dylan O’Brien as doomed love interests navigating the ups and downs of their relationship, leading to inevitable heartbreak.
I can’t begin to express my gratitude to Sadie and Dylan for giving us everything they had in order to tell this story. All Too Well The Short Film is out on YouTube, and showing all week at the AMC 13 theater in NYC. For you, from us. ♥️https://t.co/YzOtPK5Hzd pic.twitter.com/gniDuc8KlF
— Taylor Swift (@taylorswift13) November 13, 2021
Swifties couldn’t help but notice the age gap between the actors is similar to the one when 19-year-old Swift had with actor Jake Gyllenhaal who was 30 at the time when they had a brief three-month relationship between 2010 and 2011, which the song is supposed to about.
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The film charts six chapters that signify important points within the relationship, such as the romantic beginnings in “The Upstate Escape,” before the “The First Crack In The Glass” first signals problems in the relationship as O’Brien refused to hold Sink’s hand in front of his friends.
And fans were not impressed with O’Brien’s character after this move.
taylor swift is better than me i'd have flipped the table over pic.twitter.com/SIYhKFL2KY
— the titular nobody in mitski's nobody (@mitskilled) November 13, 2021
“you dropped my fucken hand.” first of all, how dare you? and taylor was right so many signs 😭😭😭 #AllTooWellTheShortFilm #RedTaylorsVersion pic.twitter.com/y1R6vFjOSd
— red rey 🧣 (@delicatraitor) November 13, 2021
this was the moment i yelled "coward" at my screen https://t.co/DQEFuaIe6k
— liz (taylor’s version) (@themapfromme) November 13, 2021
Her: "I remember it all too well"
— Nat 🧣💗🖤 (@alltoowellt) November 13, 2021
Him: #AllTooWellTheShortFilm pic.twitter.com/PK1UzZGwXS
Then, the “Are You Real?” chapter sees the pair happy together until they are shattered completely with “The Breaking Point” as O’Brien’s character breaks up with Sink, and then “The Reeling” shows Sink struggling to come to terms with the split and “The Remembering” sees O’Brien reflect on their relationship.
Thirteen years later (note Swift’s lucky number), Sink’s character is now grown up and is played by Swift herself who writes a book called “All Too Well” about her heartbreak all those years ago - and the chapters in the film are actually chapters in her book.
During a book reading, O’Brien’s character - now played by Jake Lyons - looks in from outside, wearing the red scarf that his ex wore at the beginning of the film and left at his sister’s house, referencing lyrics from the song.
After that emotional rollercoaster, it’s no surprise that Swifties were well and truly in their feels, while praising Sink and O’Brien’s excellent performances.
us watching all too well the short film pic.twitter.com/LfFshSFMPA
— 💭 (@sadiethink) November 13, 2021
all too well: the short film pic.twitter.com/8fLgwbis3C
— david (@janusfilmtote) November 13, 2021
the entire taylor swift fandom upon watching ATW the short film 😭❤️👏🏻😭❤️👏🏻😭❤️👏🏻 pic.twitter.com/mdnK2XRiQz
— 🧣 Siân & Laura 🧣 (@ReputaSianLaura) November 13, 2021
FML, was Taylor Swift’s mission to ruin us today? That #AllTooWellTheShortFilm has broken me. It’s just… the dream visuals to match the song. I- #AllTooWellTenMinuteVersion #RedTaylorsVersion pic.twitter.com/Djfefck0q5
— Nola Thee Journalist (@NolaMarianna) November 13, 2021
THIS IS SO FUCKING SAD @taylorswift13 PLEASE MA'AM ALLOW ME TO BUY YOU A NEW SCARF #AllTooWellTheShortFilm pic.twitter.com/sklla5zFNu
— mariana 🧣 (@swiftiereads) November 13, 2021
all too well the short film is heartbreaking af and the fact that taylor swift ever felt that way?????? i don't think i’ll ever recover from that
— Irene 🍂 (@lillyswiftt13) November 13, 2021
it really hurts to watch the all too well short film knowing that these are real events and real emotions taylor went through at 20 years old. i want to throw up everywhere
— mirrorball (@myheartredheart) November 13, 2021
all too well the short film was LITERALLY a cinematic experience #AllTooWellTheShortFilm pic.twitter.com/ZVlPyuJs0R
— pia 🧣 (@pialovestaylor) November 13, 2021
Mood after watching the all too well short film. It got me bawling my eyes out. This was very very very well done! Gonna watch it again a few more times! #alltoowelltheshortfilm #RedTaylorsVersion pic.twitter.com/whHpmLt66C
— HENRY SKYWALKER (@HENRYJEDIKNIGHT) November 13, 2021
ME AFTER WATCHING THE SHORT FILM OF ALL TOO WELL I'M IN SHOCK pic.twitter.com/cUENnNEs0k
— Luuh🧣꧁ (@swiftcamzz) November 13, 2021
the all too well short film is stunning??? Dylan O'Brien and Sadie Sink both are incredible in it that was the fastest 15 minutes of my life pic.twitter.com/2LMnLxxZLV
— _Lyn_looking for harry san diego tickets (@stalefrogbread) November 13, 2021
It also marks Swift’s directorial film debut as she brought her lyrics to life - and has already been viewed nearly 10m times since it was released on YouTube last night.
“It was really wonderful working with Sadie Sink and Dylan O’Brien,” Swift said during her appearance on Late Night With Seth Meyers.
“They’re just absolutely—I’m just blown away by what they did in this short film. I wrote this short film and wanted to direct it, and the only two people that I imagined playing the two characters, it was Sadie and Dylan.”
Of course, her fans were also bursting with pride at this milestone and praised her work:
taylor swift could do gone girl but david fincher couldn’t do the all too well short film
— jess (@jesshakeitoff) November 13, 2021
taylor swift casted two perfect actors somehow managed to link every scene to a specific song on red into a PERFECT storyline and wrote and directed her own film- she is on another level i couldn't be more proud of her
— regina 🧣ibytam (@futureofrep) November 13, 2021
AND THE OSCAR AS BEST DIRECTOR GOES TO TAYLOR SWIFT pic.twitter.com/29DZZMGQhw
— Biles Bilinski ☽☾ (@LokiSnape) November 13, 2021
The way HE standing in blue light and cold side and SHE dancing in sunny warm side of this frame like their personality in the story…
— Oliver🧣 (@MissingLuci) November 13, 2021
Taylor Swift is THE DIRECTOR #AllTooWell #AllTooWellTheShortFilm pic.twitter.com/pBSUZdYRiv
“who’s you favorite director?”
— mir is a nx2 stan ☆ (@whereyouleftmir) November 13, 2021
“taylor swift.” #AllTooWellTheShortFilm pic.twitter.com/pf0B6DSYvS
They were also there for Swift’s red hair in the video.
REDHEAD TAYLOR pic.twitter.com/pxtS9rsyDQ
— sara is all too unwell (@fancysnaake) November 13, 2021
i just think that red head taylor swift. #AllTooWellTheShortFilm pic.twitter.com/my20q1nPM5
— jade 🍂 (@thetaylight) November 13, 2021
We have seen Taylor pull off red, brown, and blonde hair. There is nothing this queen can’t do https://t.co/mjfMaFM9om
— k a y l a (@kitty__kayla) November 13, 2021
When I tell you I screamed over Red head Taylor Swift https://t.co/LCputgfams
— Teresa Sapp (@heyteresasapp) November 13, 2021
Fans also connected the dots to another song on Red, with the birthday party scene where Sink is left disappointed when O’Brien doesn’t turn up - reminding them of The Moment I Knew.
And they are all laughing as I look around the room… and that was the moment I knew #AllTooWellTheShortFilm pic.twitter.com/JQOF63sqwb
— La Tia Puercaylor (Taylor’s version) (@LaPuercaylor) November 13, 2021
And that was the moment I knew #AllTooWellTheShortFilm pic.twitter.com/Dninizzqga
— Nat 🧣💗🖤 (@alltoowellt) November 13, 2021
This scene referred to her song The Moment I Knew is based on real-life events. The song tells about Taylor Swift’s 21st birthday party, which she referred to as “the worst experience in her life
— Facts About Taylor Swift (@factsboutTSwift) November 13, 2021
She tells the story of how Jake didn’t show up for her party #AllTooWellTheShortFilm pic.twitter.com/w00K7Aymbt
the moment i knew reference?? taylor is too much😭😭 #alltoowelltheshortfilm pic.twitter.com/GV2RPvDfqC
— alec ࿏ (@folknade) November 13, 2021
Fans also joked at Jake Gyllenhaal’s expense and also wonder how he would react to the film.
jake gyllenhaal spotted watching the all too well short film! #AllTooWellTheShortFilm pic.twitter.com/uGxcUXLX1U
— juli 🧣 (@swiftzys) November 13, 2021
all too well: the short film (2021) dir. taylor swift; starring sadie sink, dylan o’brien & taylor swift pic.twitter.com/7J4fAOR4P9
— celia⁷ (@teartaylor) November 13, 2021
Jake Gyllenhaal after hearing about the All too Well short film pic.twitter.com/MXIX8UhupP
— Lynn ia (@Marlynn_18) November 5, 2021
jake gyllenhaal’s current girlfriend after she watched to All too Well short film#RedTaylorsVersion#AllTooWellTheShortFilm
— 𝐒 𝐇 𝐔 𝐁 𝐇 (@Shubh_vkk) November 13, 2021
pic.twitter.com/2rtGdXxWAZ
jake gyllenhaal in 3 hours that #RedTaylorsVersion + All Too Well short film will be out: pic.twitter.com/2YOb9GIsGT
— seven (@sevenisloved13) November 12, 2021
Jake Gyllenhaal’s publicist after seeing the All Too Well short-film in disguise to try to figure out how to dig him out of his grave #AllTooWellTenMinuteVersion pic.twitter.com/ZFBdVcG7BS
— Levi-floxacin 🦠💊 (@LeviHill3) November 13, 2021
Me if I ever see Jake Gyllenhaal in the flesh after watching All Too Well: The Short Film pic.twitter.com/Ywn9qYl73C
— jay ²⁸ (@chocopopslouie) November 13, 2021
Red (Taylor’s Version) is the second album Swift has recorded, after previously releasing a re-record version of 2008 album Fearless in April this year.
She also plans to record all of her work released under Big Machine Records after they sold her masters in 2019 to American talent manager Scooter Braun.
If you fancy checking it out, you can catch All Too Well: The Short Film on YouTube.