Movie Review: All The Bright Places Is A Dark, Teen Love Story
I have said it on multiple occasions; when it comes to teen, love stories, you can’t beat Netflix. They have a balance of “cheesiness” and intelligence that is quintessential “teenhood.” When you are in your teens, your are dreamy, smart, and slightly deluded, which are three qualities a good “rom-com” must have. Yet, All The Bright Things is not a rom-com. Although it is romantic, this teen, love story is unafraid to dive into the darkness of mental illness, grief, trauma, and how being a teen doesn’t protect your from such things. Nowadays, it is your very youth that can leave you more open to them.
Elle Fanning plays Violet. A smart, collected teen that is breaking down when we meet her. Fanning emotes a solidity to Violet’s presence and mind that makes audiences feel for her heartbreak. The trauma of losing a sister has left her suicidal; a feeling that bonds her with the walking charm that is Justice Smith as Theodore Finch. He totally captures the character’s sporadic heart, mind, and spirit. He is soft and a complete well of emotions that can scarily tip over. Smith’s importance is in showing that mental illness is not mainly or solely about being loudly crazy and maniacally murderous as some movies portray.
All the Bright Places starring Elle Fanning & Justice Smith | Official Trailer | Netflix
Theodore is a good, human being that, at times thinks so lowly of himself and the world, he, literally, wants to disappear. On a fateful bridge, Theodore meets Violet and they connect on being two people that see the other feels unseen. Again, All The Bright Places is superbly romantic. You will ship Fanning and Smith or rather Violent and Theodore. Their chemistry is both palatable and relatable. They truly feel like two regular teens that like and understand each other, and the fact that it is pain that bonds them into love will make you want to grab a massive box of tissues. The way these characters look out for each other, until one is pushed to the brink, is absolutely devastating.
Depression is a hard-core, mental health issue, and director Brett Haley uses Jennifer Niven’s novel to give viewers one of the most grounded, realistic portrayals. Hence, your tears come from seeing two lovable teens go through the rough journey of learning to love yourself, if they even can. All The Bright Places Comes Out On Netflix on February 28.
