Netflix and Sofia Alverez have struck teen gold again this time with the adaptation of the Sarah Dessen novel Along For The Ride. The coming-of-age romance movie centers on Auden (Emma Pasarow), a recent high school graduate who is spending her summer with her estranged father and his new family. While there, Auden decides to rediscover herself by giving in to the carefree nature the small beach town and its residents have to offer her.
Colby might be a small beach town, but it's full of interesting and complex characters. As with any movie geared towards teens, fans are quick to pledge their allegiance to their favorite character. The likeability is even more important in Along For The Ride since many fans already had their opinions formed from the novel.
Jake
Jake (Ricardo Hurtado) might not be a major character in the traditional sense, but his presence does play an important role at the beginning of Along For The Ride. To put it lightly, Jake is the stereotypical jerk character.
Though he does immediately hit on Auden right in front of his ex-girlfriend, Jake does have one redeeming moment. When Auden decides she doesn't want to kiss him anymore, he stops. Yes, he tries to tell her she won't do better than him, but he also respects her decision which is why some fans can't help but "stan" him.
Robert
Robert's (Dermot Mulroney) reputation was already off to a bad start since he walked out on Auden and her mother several years before. Now, Robert has a chance to be an involved father, and he once again messes up.
Not only is he bad at being a father, but he's also terrible at supporting his young wife who very clearly needs a break. However, fans do give him credit for stepping up to the plate after Auden calls him out on his nonsense.
Victoria
Victoria (Andie MacDowell) might call herself a feminist, but she's also the type that looks down on women who are traditionally more feminine. While Victoria may mean well, she's put a lot of expectations on Auden which has unknowingly put a strain on their mother-daughter relationship.
However, Victoria is redeemed a bit when she comes to Colby to give advice to Heidi (Kate Bosworth) at Auden's request. She always apologizes to Auden for leaning on her all those years ago and for that, many fans can forgive her harsh beginnings.
Leah
When it comes to Auden's friends in Colby, Leah (Genevieve Hannelius) is the most outspoken. She's not afraid to voice her opposition to where they choose to hang out, but she never pouts for too long.
Her outspoken nature is why she approaches Auden to tell her not to worry about Maggie (Laura Kariuki) when they first meet. She's also great when it comes to boy advice which Auden definitely needs and is always there to cheer Maggie up when Jake does something stupid.
Esther
Of all the Along for the Ride characters, Esther (Samia Finnerty) is the one who most often marches to the beat of her own drum. Her style immediately stands out, and she'd much rather be singing folk songs at parties than playing stupid drinking games.
One reason she's extremely likable is that she's the first to welcome Auden to Clementine's when she shows up on her first day. Her friendship with Auden never wavers, and she's constantly trying to include Auden in her friend's activities - even if they don't all want her involved.
Maggie
Maggie might start off as another teen movie mean girl, but the audience quickly learns that's not her at all. Though she's initially hurt by Auden and Jake making out, she quickly apologizes to Auden when she realizes it wasn't her fault.
From that moment on, Maggie and Auden are good friends. She supports Auden in her romantic pursuits and gets her updated on all the things she might not know about the Colby residences. She's also a fearless character who has a surprising interest in BMX riding.
Heidi
When it comes to teen movies, the step-mother character is often rude, evil, and/or antagonistic, but Heidi is none of those things. Fans love her because she puts the trope to bed and is a refreshing, positive light in Auden's life.
Despite being exhausted from raising a newborn, Heidi never passes off her motherhood duties to Auden. Instead, she encourages her to go be a teenager and have fun. Heidi is great with all the young people in her life and is a great reminder that moving back to one's childhood town doesn't have to be a bad thing.
Eli
Eli (Belmont Cameli) is definitely a boyfriend-worthy teen movie character. He also nails the mysterious boy with a heart-of-gold trope. Eli is extremely caring, almost to a fault since he prioritizes others' needs before his own.
Eli is there for Auden all summer and encourages her to step outside her comfort zone. He cares so much about Auden that he even steps out of his comfort zone to attend a party after they've argued. Eli's sincerity and ability to apologize is why he's a great character.
Auden
As the lead character, it's only fitting that Auden is the most liked. That's not to say she doesn't have any fault, because she does. Auden is stubborn and tends to push people away. She also suffers from "not like other girls" syndrome. However, Auden quickly turns her negative traits around when she starts to explore the more adventurous side of her personality.
It's then that she forms lasting friendships and lets Eli into her world. Even though she's going through a dramatic change, Auden is more concerned with everyone else around her. She's always there to help Heidi with the baby, calls out her dad on his misogynistic views, and even encourages Eli to get back out there and chase his dreams. It's no wonder she and Eli are so perfect for each other.