Household secrets and techniques, a love triangle, and self-discovery are simply a part of the inventive tapestry in The Life Listing, an endearing story stuffed with “aw shucks” that’s designed to heat hearts. It’s going to, although the movie struggles to land in anybody style. It’s a rom-com, it is a tragic household drama, it’s a mission-driven story with a objective in thoughts, it’s a coming-of-age story, it’s a “yas queen” girlboss flick, it is… not fairly positive what it’s. It’s all that and full of enticing actors, so there’s nice eye sweet throughout. And there’s Connie Britton, enjoying a matriarch decided to ensure her daughter will get her life on monitor. This movie is loaded with heat fuzzies, and the ever-reliable Britton is a plausible emotional enhance, including an additional contact of heat in a narrative already overflowing with it.
Based mostly on the favored novel of the identical title by Lori Nelson Spielman, the movie is written and directed by Adam Brooks (Bridget Jones: The Fringe of Purpose, Imposters). Sofia Carson (Descendants, Purple Hearts, Carry On) headlines the endearing story, enjoying Alex Rose, an idealistic younger lady whose life immediately tilts when her BFF/mother Elizabeth (Britton) passes away. However Elizabeth was shrewd. As a substitute of bequeathing her daughter cash or issues as she does her different youngsters, the girl concocted one thing higher. A giant mission to ship Alex on. Upon watching a DVD her mom made, Alex discovers that her mom desires her to take one 12 months to finish the bucket checklist Alex created when she was 13 years outdated.
Get Your Life in Order
The Life Listing
3.5
/5
- Launch Date
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March 28, 2025
- Director
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Adam Brooks
- Lived-in and fleshed-out characters abound, highlighted by Britton and Carson.
- The movie affectively delivers the feels, and is nice as heck.
- Some genuinely humorous moments and fantastic scenes.
- It’s kind of too messy and by no means positive of its tone.
Early on, we uncover Alex was a trainer however walked away from the profession she liked. Absolutely, Elizabeth realized this earlier than her premature dying, sparking her resolution to provide Alex a year-long mission to search out her “spark” once more. As Alex’s older siblings proceed to maneuver on with their lives—infants, marriages, careers—Alex should undergo her outdated bucket checklist and full most of issues discovered there. There’s “learn “Moby Dick,” as an example, and “turn out to be an incredible trainer,” and probably the most bold of all—”discover real love.” Upon finishing gadgets on the checklist, Alex is to retrieve a DVD from her mom’s legal professional, Brad (Kyle Allen of West Facet Story). You will instantly catch the apparent plot system that pits Alex and Brad in opposition to one another, organising a possible romance.
One other love curiosity emerges when Alex volunteers at a middle for underserved youngsters. Garrett (Sebastian de Souza), the principal there, is past charming. After a not-so-cute meet cute, you may count on just a few passing glances and smiles as these two notice they’re attracted to 1 one other. In between, Alex ventures forth on her “Alex in Wonderland” journey, waxing philosophical each step of the way in which. This movie has a whole lot of navel-gazing in it — not essentially a foul factor, because it has sharp pivots from one inventive thought to a different. The “Hero’s Journey” is like that generally, so keep it up.
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A giant reveal happens about 45 minutes into the movie, sending Alex on a curious life detour to analyze one thing about familial ties. It is a daring discovery and absolutely value some type of film of its personal, however since we’re monitoring the e book by Lori Nelson Spielman, we’ll go alongside. Though, these plot threads appeared to be handles with extra nuance within the supply materials.
Woman (Repeatedly) Interrupted
Sofia Carson is ideal on this position, nevertheless. She’s the proper protagonist—an plausible actor able to main us alongside one messy life journey. Alex’s existential disaster is relatable to some extent, too. A lot in order that younger girls attending check viewers screenings reportedly determined to “seize the second” and break up with their boyfriends. Consider the way in which Severance, Whiplash, Forrest Gump, Huge Fish or final 12 months’s indie gem, Babes took you alongside a selected character’s or group’s journey. The Life Listing is like that, designed to each entertain you as a lot because it provokes thought. It would not all the time succeed, however hey, we’re seasoned film watchers, so, we “get it.”
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The remainder of the solid shines right here, handing over plausible performances. José Zúñiga, enjoying Alex’s father, Samuel, emerges as a effective standout, whereas author/ director Adam Brooks offers facet gamers sufficient meat to chew on, too. Collectively, they create a plausible world wherein we will discover. One other profitable plot system right here, though its loaded with manipulation, is when Alex checks off a life checklist objective. These moments discover her returning to the display and watching yet one more DVD of her mom, which, in flip, retains her alive in spirit. Attain for a tissue. You are certain to shed a tear sooner or later.
Backside line: Sporadic shifts in theme, tone, and plot apart, The Life Listing manages to turn out to be excellent viewing for all the household, however largely the Gen Z crowd, who, as this film suggests, could or could not notice simply how a lot actual connection they really crave. Candy (generally overly so), touching, and charming, The Life Listing is totally intent on warming hearts. The Life Listing debuts on Netflix March 28. Watch it by means of the hyperlink under:
Watch The Life Listing