A Critique Paper by Gwyn Roxaine D. Demata
Based on the best-selling young-adult novel, "All the Bright Places," written by Jennifer Niven. The film was directed by Brett Haley and released on February 28, 2020, by Netflix. It may appear to be a typical teen romance film, but the plot is unique. A film about two wounded souls dealing with emotional issues from the past. After they met, they discovered the smallest moments could mean something. It is an excellent movie that raises self-awareness. Most of all, it is based on the author’s personal story. A story filled with young adult clichés, but an ending that will leave you with heartaches and tears.
Violet Markey and Theodore Finch are two unhappy teens living in a small Indiana town. Violet suffered from depression and guilt after the death of her sister in a car accident. She spent her teenage life alone, isolated from her previous life after the incident. Finch suffered from an undiagnosed bipolar disorder and depression and is also a classmate of Violet. When he saw Violet struggling with her trauma and unattached to society, he decided to bring her back to the real world.
In a school project, they partnered together to wander the places of Indiana. As Finch took Violet to travel around Indiana, they saw the beauty within each place they discovered, which made her eventually open up to the world around her again. His compassion inspired her to live her life to the fullest as her presence kept him alive. Violet progressively learned how to open up with her emotions, welcomed joy and love again, started to reach out with her family and friends, and began to heal. However, as the attention was drawn to Violet, Finch was left to deal with his depression which led to his suicide attempt.
The argument that “All the Bright Places” makes about Violet and Finch's relationship is not just about love, but also the value of having someone to open up to without being judged. We disconnect ourselves from healing when we bottle up our feelings, especially loss, sadness, and trauma. We can only go one step closer to recovery when we begin to open up to others and talk about our problems.
This sets the film apart and makes it so moving. It discusses these issues that adolescents face in today's culture. Grief, guilt, mental illness, and family are being considered. The characters have struggled with similar cases in different situations, which has strengthened their bond. People who face difficulties daily, such as Finch, are usually the ones with the greatest ability to show empathy because apart from helping other people to distract from their struggles, they know what it is like to be in despair.
“All the Bright Places” is intended for everyone to be aware, the depiction of mental health among people should be handled with care and compassion. This emphasizes the idea that you never know what people have been through, that they seem to have everything in life and might have a lot more going on the other side. As someone who suffers from mental illness, I highly encourage everyone to watch this film so that they are aware that this is a problem that has to be tackled in our society.
Watch the trailer here:
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