After years of waiting, on Friday, February 28, 2020, the movie All the Bright Places was finally released on Netflix. Many fans and book-lovers have anticipated the release of this movie for months, as it had recently been announced that the beloved novel would be made into a film. This Netflix original based on the astonishing bestseller by Jennifer Niven tells the story of two high school seniors who change each other’s lives forever. 

Violet Markey never felt like herself ever since her sister died in a car accident. Theodore Finch doesn’t have things any easier, as he struggles to ‘stay awake’ and constantly finds himself spiraling into the chaos of his own mind. They soon meet as they find themselves standing on the edge of a bridge. They both contemplate jumping off of it, but ultimately save each other from doing so. Their surprising bond saves them from going off the deep end and they finally feel as if things are alright for once, finding comfort within each other.

So is this movie worth watching? How does it even compare to the novel? As we all know, most of the time, the movie just doesn’t live up to the authenticity and quality of the novel. Interestingly enough, in this case, the movie does an amazing job of portraying the emotions and soulful depth that commonly appeared in the book. The film perfectly depicts the tough theme of dealing with mental illnesses and their powerful impact on victims, along with those who surround them.

This beautifully crafted, inspiring, and heart wrenching movie shows the light within the darkness, and how wonderful life can be if one opens their eyes to it. This movie is not one to disappoint and does not fail in achieving the richness of the novel. It’s definitely a must-see for anyone with some free time, seeking a little bit of inspiration.