On Mar. 28, Netflix released a heartfelt romance film that has already hit the top of the charts. The Life List is based on the novel written by Lori Nelson Spielman, and it focuses on the life of Alex Rose, played by Sofia Carson. After losing her mother, Elizabeth Rose, to cancer, Rose was given back the life list she made at 13 years old, which allowed her to get her inheritance. Given only one year to complete the list, Rose uncovered new challenges and was able to rediscover herself.
Early on in the film, fans get to meet the Rose siblings: Julian and Lucas, as well as the young, charming lawyer Brad Ackerman. These characters were a big part of Alex’s life and tremendously helped her reach her goal.
Initially, Lucas was the one who was supportive of Alex and felt that she should take on this opportunity. On the other hand, Julian did not understand the point of this “life list” yet and felt that he should just focus on the logistics of the inheritance.
Towards the end, however, I loved how we got to see Alex and her siblings connect at an impromptu campout under the moon. This scene was where I got to see these characters open up, grow, and grieve with one another.
Although Alex’s focus was to complete her list, she couldn’t help but fall in love with a few different people. Once she ended things with her long-term boyfriend, Finn, Alex didn’t find love right away, even while going through her journey with Ackerman. Not only did he have a current girlfriend, but she also thought he was some guy who had access to the DVDs Elizabeth recorded after each completed list item.
Once Alex got a job teaching at a women’s shelter, she met her “perfect boyfriend,” Garrett Taylor. The two quickly fell in love and started a relationship together. I was glad to see the writers include their best and worst moments as a couple. For instance, when Alex hosted a get-together, the scene often showed Taylor’s unpleasant reactions to Alex’s friends and even ended with the couple arguing.
Ackerman and Alex, though, experienced a slow-burning relationship in this movie. To me, I am glad that is how their relationship went since they were a right fit for each other. Alex already had a rough relationship with her dad, and on top of that, she finds out that he is not her real father. Because of this, Ackerman and Alex set out for Vermont to look for her biological father. On this trip, Alex learned a bit about her family’s past and also grew a strong connection with Ackerman.
The Life List had very detailed scenes that portrayed a lot of the characters’ emotions. The actors and actresses were well-developed and truly embodied the personalities of each of their characters.
One of the best scenes was when Alex tried teaching one student, Ezra, who wanted nothing to do with her efforts. He would not only talk back to Alex, but would also draw on the work she gave him. Over time, they slowly grew this strong bond and Alex began to appreciate the complicated life Ezra was living.
What also made this movie so engaging was the creative cinematography that the writers and producers came up with. In the first five minutes, Alex and Elizabeth are holding each other while lying in bed, and then it transitions to just Alex on the bed. Following this, there were a few close-up shots and montages to show Alex’s commitment to each of the challenges.
My only critique about this production is that I would have preferred it as a show. At some points, I felt that certain scenes were rushed and needed more of an explanation. If it were a show, each episode should have been dedicated to each item on the list. This would have allowed the audience to get to know some of the other characters more, as well as getting some background information on Alex’s previous relationships.
This movie highlights what is needed in life: family, love, confidence, and, of course, a list to guide you along the way.
