When Jennifer Niven released All the Bright Places back in 2015, the novel was an instant hit in the young-adult universe, The Fault in Our Stars level proportions. With Netflix’s recent trend of hit teen romance films, this seemed like another perfect addition to the list, and when the streaming giant announced their film adaption, fans went wild.
Following the story of Violet Markey (Elle Fanning), a girl whose sister died in a tragic car accident leaving Violet falling from her popularity pedestal as she struggles to cope, and Finch (Justice Smith) a social outsider who takes it upon himself to remind Violet of all the good things in life, this isn’t your average romantic film. When the pair meet, Violet is stood on the wall of a bridge, considering ending her life. Mental health really becomes the heart of the film, not romance. It’s a bit pretentious – as many of us will notice about the YA novels we loved – but this is a film that at least has a message about dealing with grief, especially for young people. Whilst it fails to fully develop Violet’s recovery, particularly when it comes to getting in a car, Fanning still plays the role well, and if you’re a fan of the teen romance genre, it’s worth a watch.
In 2020, do we really still care for the mysterious, heart-breaking movie boys? There’s something to be said about the mid-2010s trend of depressing young adult romance, especially the ones that seem to inevitably barrel towards misery the way All the Bright Places does. With young people both facing, and opening up about mental health more and more, these kinds of stories are the ones that need to be told, but if you’re averse to these topics then this film isn’t the one for you. While it’s an honest portrayal of struggle, it’s also difficult to watch at times, and ultimately isn’t for those who want a wholesome, cookie-cutter romance story. Coming away from it in 2020, it feels predictable and rushed, but All the Bright Places also reminds us of topics that we perpetually need to bring more light to, and does so in a starkly honest way.
Image Credit: IMDb