‘All the Bright Places’ tugs on the heartstrings

Movie Night: ‘All the Bright Places’ is an epic love story between two teenagers. The film stars Elle Fanning and Justice Smith.

Alyssa Storm, Washburn Review Editor in Chief

“All the Bright Places” is a Netflix original released February 28, 2020. I am a sucker for romance movies so it automatically got added to my list.

The movie is based on a book of the same title by Jennifer Niven.

The movie is about two teenagers, Violet Markey, played by Elle Fanning, and Theordore Fitch, played by Justice Smith. The two meets under unfortunate circumstances but eventually become acquaintances.

Their hidden pain and past trauma bring them closer together. They fall in love and start to see the world as a happier and brighter place.

On TikTok, I saw many videos saying this movie will make you cry – I put that to the test. 

This movie takes you on an emotional roller coaster. It’s easy to get lost in the joy and happiness that is starting to appear, until all of it fades away and there is nothing left but sadness.

The film portrays teenage struggles in a real way as both characters are face their own challenges, coming together to see the good. 

The Netflix original does have its fair share of humorous moments that keeps the audience engaged.

The story line of the movie is a timeless tale of young love and pain.

The couple have a uniquely interconnected experience with pain – when Finch finds himself in extreme amounts of pain while Violet makes progress.

The way that the two characters switch roles is heartbreaking. You inevitably know what the ending is going to be.

TikTok was right about this movie.

It will make you cry when you think you will not. I almost made it through the whole movie, but the last ten minutes came and there was no holding back.

Final verdict.

I would recommend this movie to anyone who is a hopeless romantic. It is a great coming-of-age movie and an amazing love story.

“All the Bright Places” tugs on the slim glimmer of potential hope – knowing that darkness resides around every corner.

Edited by Abbie Barth, Wesley Tabor