After almost a decade of waiting, the 10-minute version of Taylor Swift's classic break-up anthem "All Too Well" is finally here.
The track features on Swift's re-recording of Red, the 2012 heartbreak album that featured big hits such as "22," "We Are Never Getting Back Together" and "I Knew You Were Trouble."
"All Too Well" was quickly cemented as a fan favorite at the time, and so when Swift teased there was a 10-minute version of the song back in 2012, excitement reached fever pitch.
To accompany the new version of the track, Swift wrote and directed a short film starring Stranger Things actress Sadie Sink as "Her" and Teen Wolf's Dylan O'Brien as "Him." Swift even appears at the end of the video as "Her, later on," pretty much confirming the song is about her own experiences.
Indeed, fans have long been sure the song alludes to Swift's brief relationship with actor Jake Gyllenhaal and there are plenty of Easter Eggs in the film (and song), pointing to this.
The biggest clue of all is the age difference between Sink and O'Brien, which mirrors the gap between Swift and Gyllenhaal when they dated.
The Age Difference Explained
Sink celebrated her 19th birthday on April 16 this year, while O'Brien was born on August 26, 1991, making him 30-years-old and the age gap just over 10 years.
When Swift and Gyllenhaal dated, Swift was 20 and Gyllenhaal was 29.
But that is not all. There are even references to their age difference in the 10-minute version, such as: "You said if we had been closer in age maybe it would have been fine / And that made me want to die
"And I was never good at telling jokes but the punch line goes / I'll get older but your lovers stay my age."
i was wondering why they had cast someone as young as sadie, racking my brain how she fit in all this and then it HIT ME she is the exact age taylor was when she dated jake and dylan is mch older she really did that byeeee
— alice 🧣💛 (@weareholyground) November 5, 2021
Other "All Too Well" Easter eggs
The iPhone
When Swift belts "And you call me up again just to break me like a promise / So casually cruel in the name of being honest," Her's iPhone can be seen ringing on the bed as she cries into her pillow.
Eagle-eyed fans may have noticed the iPhone's outdated lock button and the screen display to answer the call featured on iPhones dating back to 2010, the year Swift and Gyllenhaal dated.
Spider-Man Kiss
At one point in the "All Too Well" short, Him and Her kiss upside down, in the same way Spider-Man (played by Tobey Maguire) kisses Mary Jane (Kirsten Dunst) in 2002's Spider-Man.
Gyllenhaal recently starred in Spider-Man: Far From Home and fans think the kiss in "All Too Well" was an allusion to his villainous role in the film.
Me last night watching the all too well film: oh look the spiderman kiss cute
— laura🏹📖 taylors version (@taymyepiphany) November 13, 2021
Me a second ago while doing dishes: OH MY GOD HE IS THE VILLAIN IN THE NEW SPIDERMAN
It took me a while to get there but I’m here
The Woods
In the short film for "All Too Well," Him puts his arm around Her as they stroll through the woods in Upstate New York.
The photo mirrors the infamous paparazzi photo of Swift and Gyllenhaal walking together through Brooklyn, where Swift had her arm wrapped around Gyllenhaal and was holding onto a maple latte.
The pair were also rumored to have spent a romantic weekend Upstate around the same time, over the Thanksgiving weekend in 2010.
they understood the assignment #AllTooWellTheShortFilm pic.twitter.com/kOoLBU2Yy3
— camila is red🧣❤️🔥 (@treacherouscami) November 13, 2021
Him, Later On
Him, later on arrives outside the bookstore where She, later on (Swift) is giving a reading, dressed in a red scarf.
The actor cast for the role is called Jake Lyon. A coincidence? Swifties think not.
It’s really important to me that we take note of the fact that the final scene where you ONLY see the back of this man’s head is played by an entirely different actor whose name is JAKE LYON. She hired someone for the back of their head so the credits essentially say JAKE LYIN’
— ✨aubrey (taylor’s version) (@verycoolveryfun) November 13, 2021
Taylor has never confirmed who exactly "All Too Well" and has remained tight-lipped about the subject. That said, in a recent interview on Late Night With Seth Meyers, she was asked: "I wonder if there are people who might think that they were the one you were singing about, if it's easier or far, far worse for them 10 years later?"
Swift simply responded: "I haven't thought about their experience, to be honest." Burn.
The 1989 Easter Eggs
If you need some time to recover from the release of Red (Taylor's Version), you might not have very long, as it looks like her version of 1989 may be on the way. Here's why...
1. The 1989 Mercedes
In the "All Too Well" short film, the car He is driving is a 1989 Mercedes Benz. In a recent TikTok, Swift confirmed the car choice was intentional.
🥚 | Taylor Swift commented on a TikTok confirming the ‘1989’ Easter Egg in the ‘All Too Well’ Short Film Trailer #RedTaylorsVersion
— Taylor Swift News 🧣 (@TSwiftNZ) November 9, 2021
— “Can’t stop won’t stop being cryptic and weird- that’s just the beginning it’s gonna be a fun week 😆😆😆😆” pic.twitter.com/AmKBKWju3B
2. The Book
The book Her, later on writes is titled "All Too Well," but the cover resembles the 1989 edition of Lewis Carroll's classic novel, Alice's Adventures in Wonderland.
Not only are both pale blue in color, they feature a white tree and red detail—only instead of hearts, Taylor's version (so to speak) includes a red scarf.
did anyone else get alice in wonderland vibes? turning white roses red? the like mad hatter- style tea party? the fact that he was searching for her throughout the film (like following the white rabbit)? and the all too well book cover? #IBetYouThinkAboutMe pic.twitter.com/ymVjMhozRm
— shan🧣☁️ (@sweetheartsliv) November 15, 2021
"Wonderland" is also a song from 1989 and even alludes to the story of Alice in Wonderland, with the lyrics: "We took a wrong turn and we fell down a rabbit hole."
The Hand
In the "All Too Well" short film, He and Her argue over His behavior at a dinner party with his friends.
Her shouts: "You dropped my f****** hand! What am I supposed to do with that?"
The reference to the hand dropping is made in the song "Champagne Problems" on Swift's 2020 LP, evermore.
The lyrics read: "Because I dropped your hand while dancing / Left you out there standing / Crestfallen on the landing / Champagne problems."
Ed Sheeran
Him and Her are playing cards in the short film, which some fans believe is a reference to Sheeran's song "The Joker and The Queen."
Red (Taylor's Version) is out now.
