By Yessica Banda/Staff Writer, News Editor
All the Bright Places, a film made by Netflix and released Feb. 28, 2020, is based on a popular book, All the Bright Places. The story revolves around Violet Markey and Theodore Finch who are both battling mental health issues.
The movie fails to capture the great storytelling of the book, offering an adaptation that falls flat visually and lacks crucial details. It also fails to bring out its original message, mental health awareness.
The film itself has a real-life concept with scenes that clearly tell the story, but in certain scenes, the plot will not make sense unless you have read the book. Not only that, but the directors also miss small, important details that are significant in the book. They do not emphasize Finch’s backstory like in the book, which in this case is very important.
They also lack a lot in props. Although it may not sound important, the fact that Violet does not have wooden glasses is an important detail in the book. Filmmakers also failed in their casting decisions. The color of Finch’s eyes is wrong, and so is Violet’s hairstyle.
A couple of actors that are supposed to make a big impact in both Finch’s and Violet’s lives have no significance in the film. The character development of both main characters lacks growth, leaving the viewers disappointed. They also include scenes that aren’t necessary for the film. They portray the movie as a very “love-dovey” film when it is not at all. Romance is involved, but it is not the heart of the film, although I did like how the director added scenes of Finch with sticky notes and him underwater because they are of huge importance in the book.
I was looking forward to this film for over a year and in all honesty, it was a disappointment. After the trailer first came out, I wasn’t expecting much of the movie. In that respect, it didn’t fail me. I give this film a 2.5 out of 5.
