Director Brett Haley's "All The Bright Places" may tackle some dark themes, but this adolescent wail about two wounded souls is drenched in warmth and compassion. Adapted by Jennifer Niven and Liz Hannah from Niven's bestselling young adult novel, Haley's film contains all the necessary ingredients for the success of films like "The Fault in Our Stars" and its likes: undoubtedly cute leads skilled at conjuring cheers and tears, a solid score and a handkerchief-passing third act, yet its pure beating heart and humanistic undertones make it a standout. That said, audiences may want to exercise some caution, as content dealing with suicide, grief, and mental health, while handled with an extremely sensitive touch, could be triggering for those who feel compromised.
While jogging one morning, Theodore Finchspot's classmate, Violet Markey, silently contemplated jumping off a bridge. She has been withdrawn and grieving since the death of her sister a year earlier. Finch jumps onto the ledge, offering Violet a hand and an unspoken promise that she is no longer alone in her fight. He, too, can relate as he searches for reasons to stay alive, scribbling them on a fleet of color-coded Post-Its that dot the walls of his bedroom. Although the filmmakers never specifically nail down a clinical diagnosis, Finch's apparent manic depression casts a long shadow over all aspects of his life. Finch's erratic behavior, causing destruction and dropping classes for extended periods, in his high school has earned him the nickname "freak".
Director: Pitipol Ybarra
Writer: Adriana Pelusi
Stars: Ana Claudia Talancón, Diana Bovio, Mauricio Ochmann
His lives change when his geography teacher assigns them a travelogue project that has students wandering all over Indiana, recounting wondrous sights off the beaten path. The duo bond through these activities, recording local attractions like the highest point in the state, a backyard roller coaster, a shoe-covered tree, and a chalk-on-the-wall interpersonal display. His affection encourages her to embrace life, while his presence provides her with a tether to the living. However, when one of them ascends to the light, the other descends to a darker place.
Fortunately, the characters don't always respond in postcard-perfect or predictable fashion, which prevents things from trespassing into special after-school territory. Finch and Violet don't do or say exactly the right things when asked. It never occurs to Finch that he shouldn't possibly scare Violet to death when he's already seen her sister die. Finch doesn't verbalize his problems correctly to people who could help him, like his guidance counselor and his older sister. Violet doesn't bring her worried father (Luke Wilson) with her when she frantically searches for Finch.
Still, filmmakers take precautions to avoid tampering devices. The shedding of tears may be inevitable, but at least the catharsis is earned. One of the subtler aspects of the narrative is the context of her geographic assignment, which is a metaphor for locating the sources of her pain and shedding light on those patches. It's also refreshing that this doesn't play out as expected with both characters grooming each other. Those feelings are not healthy or true to real life. The filmmakers are interested in showing different facets of grief where one is capable of healing and the other lacks those same abilities.
Violet's inevitable emotional breakthrough is contained in Fanning's capable hands. Her joy and devastation are palpable. She has masterful control and finds power in refinement. Smith makes for an equally captivating screen partner, as this plays as a showcase for his charisma, charm, and vulnerability. His work is revealing, considering we've never seen anything like it from him before. Together, they increase the intimacy and immediacy of the material.
There are scoops of sweetness at the beginning of Violet and Finch's courtship that border on cheesy, but give way to the kind of character-driven moves that elevate Haley's previous films, "Hearts Beat Loud," "The Hero," and "I' I see you in my dreams." The pair trade quotes from depressed writer Virginia Woolf the way introspective, deep-thinking teenagers do. They dance in the fields, celebrating their youthful spirit. Their impromptu staring contest is the prescribed dream ship moment for the goblin maniacs throughout the play. Fortunately, that comes early as the rest of the drama and romance thankfully stay grounded, honest, and authentic.
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