Film Review: The Half of It Is So Fulfilling
Written and directed by Alice Wu. The Half of It, out May 1 on Netflix, felt like a tender watch; an observance of a few good people trying to be better to each other. Such human sweetness is a breathe of fresh air, in these corona times, and a cinematic reminder that love is a bunch of small, kind acts, which includes the ones you do for friends.
Wu’s writing and direction shines because she makes her characters feel genuinely good. Each actor is so natural and loving, you want to hug them like a bunch of care bears. This is A GOOD EFFECT because for one hour and 44 minutes, you are invested in how the three people of Ellie Chu (Leah Lewis), Paul Munsky (Daniel Demier), and Astor Flores (Alexxis Lemire) remain unscathed in a blossoming, love triangle. Yes, you want every lead to be happy and, by the middle, even feel protective of them because NEVER, in the history of teen rom-coms, has there NOT been a few tears and some drama. The Half of It | Official Trailer | Netflix
Leah Lewis makes Ellie Chu a brilliant, prickly personality; that is ostracized in her school, with kids even making fun of her last name like it is a “Chu Chu Train.” Aren’t they brilliantly racist and funny? (cue eye rolls) Yet, that does happen, and Lewis does well to make Ellie authentically embody the shy girl; the kid who may come off cold, but, frankly, has no idea how to open up, especially if bullied. Being a social butterfly is not easy and does not, necessarily, mean you are liked, which is why Ellie and an unknowing Astor connect. Ellie is the nerd and Astor is most popular girl, but both feel unseen and frustrated that they are young but can’t dream of life beyond their town. Moreover, Ellie has has adult responsibilities like, taking care of her father as he still grieves the loss of her mother. Thus, her friendship with Paul becomes the hallmark of the film.
Paul and Ellie’s friendship is riveting because you witness two “different” people realize they are not so different. Demier’s portrayal of Paul IS SO SWEET, you will feel protective of him. On paper, he is the popular jock, to a losing team, who hangs out with everyone and is harmless. He is absolutely unmalicious, which is why Ellie, inevitably, opens up to him and they form a bond over their mission: to get Astor Flores to fall for Paul through having Ellie write her love letters under his name. (Cue A Cyrano De Bergerac Vibe!)In this process, all three realize what they want and need from love, particularly in terms of sexuality.
THE HALF OF IT “Love Letter” Scene (2020) Netflix Teen Romance Movie
Throughout the film, Ellie sees she cares for Paul, but she is attracted to and falling for Astor. Lemire makes Astor cool, kind, and elegant, which are things that Ellie struggles to be, even in kindness. She can be mean and push people away, but, The Half of It, is a story of letting the right people in. Whether you are a popular kid or an absolute nerd, you don’t need a lot of people to feel loved. On the contrary, true love is so big, you can only feel it with a few people in your life. Eliie finds those people, in family, friendship, and romance, which is why The Half of It is a FULL WIN for Netflix and comes out May 1. GOD I LOVE THIS STREAMING PLATFORM!
