All the Bright Places - A Movie Review

Nobody should ever fight their battles alone. Always reach out for help.

Based on the novel by Jennifer Niven, All the Bright Places is a 2020 Netflix film about two teenagers fighting inward battles. Having lost her sister to a car accident, Finch persistently helps Violet to see the light again. As a budding romance grows, while working on a school project, Finch’s mental health deteriorates.

After reading the novel, I was curious to watch the film adaptation. All the Bright Places is a story for all people fighting hidden battles. It is sad. It made me think. But most importantly, it made me connect. The film adaptation does a remarkable job with the story except it ignores expanding on a vital arc.

In Niven’s novel, each chapter is told from the perspective of Finch or Violet. I liked this aspect because we got into the character’s minds. Finch is a complex character. He is battling many illnesses that are described in detailed internal monologues from the character. Instead, the movie decides to focus more on Violet’s character thus leaving out important details about Finch’s dark mind.

Violet Markey was Elle Fanning’s ultimate acting role. I have seen Fanning in a few films, most notably Maleficient. Here Fanning embeds her true acting abilities, relinquishing bitter emotion and exploring incredible depths. Accepting death is never easy. Violet’s journey is difficult but very relatable. We can never ignore how we feel or stop living our lives.

I did not realize that Justice Smith was Franklin Webb from Jurassic World: Fallen Kingdom until after researching more of his film credits. Despite the angles and important subplots that were cut from the film, Smith does a fantastic job grappling into Finch’s unstable mind.

I wish the movie could have done more with Finch’s character, specifically with his family. I liked the scenes where he interacted with his sister (Alexandra Shipp), but the scenes between him and his dad are not expanded enough.

Other credits to include are Kelli O’Hara, Luke Wilson, Lamar Johnson, Virginia Gardner, Felix Mallard, Sophia Hasmik, and Keegan-Michael Key. Unlike the book, the roles of supporting characters are not expanded enough. Supporting characters are very important when it comes to interacting with the main characters, but the film chooses to focus more on Violet and Finch.

I was so stoked when I saw that Luke Wilson was in this film. Ever since I watched The Skeleton Twins, Wilson has grown on me as an actor. Wilson needs more roles playing pleasant characters besides the stereotypical antagonist he is typecast as.

Like most film adaptations of books, not every detail makes it the big screen. Some modifications were made while a couple of elements were cut from the film entirely. One of the changes involved in a different setting for the opening scene. In contrast to the book, I felt that this setting worked better for Finch and Violet to meet. It held more meaning.

The film does a nice job with quiet moments. As Finch and Violet go on their little adventures, a nice soundtrack occupies the background. Brett Haley captured the essence of these scenes in his direction. Turning books into films is not always easy because as readers we all have a different vision.

All the Bright Places is a message to the world to look out for your friends and family. Nobody ever knows what invisible battles people are fighting. Jennifer Niven boldly demonstrates the ill effects of death and how it affects us. I greatly recommend that you read the book before watching the film on Netflix.