When I watched the trailer of Kimi Armstrong Stein’s new movie based on the book, “All the Bright Places,” I thought it was going to be a fun rom com. Little did I know I would be bawling over this Netflix movie on a Saturday night.

This movie follows two young teens, Violet Markey (Elle Fanning) and Theodore Finch (Justice Smith), as they struggle with emotional and physical pains from the past. When they meet unexpectedly, they change each other’s lives forever. They discover how much the little things in life matter and how much they matter to each other.

This movie was a refreshing twist on the typical YA romance, keeping a strong focus on mental illness and how life can change when you least expect it. This movie is so beautiful and moving; it is able to show how sadness and depression can show up even if someone is happy.

This film is able to cover important topics such as grief, trauma and bullying that affect many teenagers on a daily basis. 

The beautiful and fragile relationship between Violet and Justice was something I have never seen on screen before. It is able to show how their past can strengthen and hurt their relationship at the same time. 

The acting by Elle Fanning and Justice Smith seems real and raw. They are able to show the realities of relationships and are able to provide strong chemistry on screen. The beautifully shot scenes and fresh acting makes me feel that more immersed and engaged in the movie.

This movie is able to give you both butterflies in your stomach and tears in your eyes as you watch it. “All the Bright Places” is able to show you how love can change your life in a blink of an eye.