He’s an outsider at school and known as “the freak” due to his bursts of erratic, disruptive behavior. He talks her down setting their complex relationship in motion.įinch works hard to get Violet to open up but in the process we see he has his own troubles. Out for an early morning jog, Finch sees the silhouette of Violet (Elle Fanning) standing high on the ledge. But then she has a chance encounter with classmate Theodore who goes by Finch (Justice Smith). By sealing herself off Violet has no release for her grief which leads her to the ledge of a bridge where she considers ending her life.

So anyone sensitive to these issues should be cautious.Įlle Fanning plays Violet, once a social butterfly but now withdrawn from her friends and family following the death of her older sister from a car accident.

The movie is sympathetic and well-meaning but also honest. The story takes a delicate and earnest look at teen mental health, grief, and suicide through the unlikely friendship/romance of two young people in very difficult places. It’s directed by Brett Haley from a screenplay written by Niven and Liz Hannah. The movie is an adaptation of Jennifer Niven’s 2015 young adult novel. Too often they mimic other movies or follow all-too-familiar formulas. The new Netflix original “All the Bright Places” does a little of both. But at its heart lies a thoughtful story about the teen experience that deals with weighty issues and has the guts to stick with its convictions. Teen dramas are a dime a dozen and finding a fresh one out of the enormous batch isn’t always an easy thing.

All the bright places cover