Justice Smith (Jurassic World, Detective Pikachu) and Elle Fanning (Maleficent) lead the movie adaptation of Jennifer Niven’s novel of the same name. Directed by Brett Haley (The Hero) and also featuring Alexandra Shipp (Dark Phoenix) the movie is now streaming on Netflix.

Premise: The story of Violet Markey and Theodore Finch, who meet and change each other’s lives forever. As they struggle with the emotional and physical scars of their past, they come together, discovering that even the smallest places and moments can mean something.

Review: All the Bright Places is not a book I read or that was on my radar. I actually don’t remember how the movie came to my attention but I’m glad it did.

The story is sweet and sour, it reflects the ups and downs of life in a sneakily dark romantic way. The score is perfectly calibrated for the movie, it pluses it and enhances the experience. It goes alongside the quotes, which may seem like throwaway lines but they are poignant and make sense in the overall story.

The two leads are well cast, Justice Smith is the best, casting him as the lead in a romantic movie was genius. Finch he so adorable, direct, and real, with a touch of darkness that looms even in the bright places and Justice plays that so well. He makes Finch very likable in moments another actor might seem creepy, angsty, and weird. He makes you feel for the character in his ups and downs.

Elle Fanning is a quiet force in this movie, her emotions are palpable in her looks alone. She makes a really good pair with Justice Smith, they have great chemistry and make a good-looking couple.

This movie could be summed up: “Two people falling in love with famous quotes thrown in.” Or “a girl falling in love with her “therapist.” But it’s much deeper than that. It’s more a movie about mental health than a straight-up romantic movie. It’s a bit dark, messy but also has levity. It’s a pretty nice depiction of people living with mental health problems.

What’s your take on this movie?

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