Seventeen-year-old Stella spends most of her time in the hospital as a cystic fibrosis patient. Her life is full of routines, boundaries and self-control -- all of which get put to the test when she meets Will, an impossibly charming teen who has the same illness. There's an instant flirtation, though restrictions dictate that they must maintain a safe distance between them. As their connection intensifies, so does the temptation to throw the rules out the window and embrace that attraction.
This definitely isn't your typical romance like a "The fault in our stars" kind of movie but instead it puts in a really interesting and nice twist which takes the film into a new territory of films by exploring cystic fibrosis in the film. The film uses a wild variety of different elements not only to keep the story interesting but also to make the characters seem real and unique too and these are actually quite surprising, especially as I'm not really a fan of romantic films, but this film was definitely a surprise. How so you ask? Here are my thoughts.
I'll start off with what I liked about this film and there is a lot! One of the key elements that particularly stood out for me was the characters and how they communicated with the audience. Right from the very beginning of the film it gives a really important and genuine feeling to the characters, by seeing them in the hospital, their vlogs as well as the various relationships they have with each other - essentially introducing us to the ecosystem in the hospital. Not only is this a great introduction to the film because it gives us a good idea of who's who and their relationships but it also strongly helps to solidify the genuine and real nature of the film right from the very beginning, as well as showing us the real nature of hospital life and living with the disease. These scenes were really important to the film, thankfully not only did they help to build character identities but they were also entertaining and exciting to meet the key characters in the film and see who they are, it was a great introduction and it doesn't stop there either. In particular one of my other favourite elements of the film was character representation throughout the film and the way the film expertly communicated with us to evoke intended emotional responses. Not only does the film really focus on cystic fibrosis to show us what it is, but it also means that the film is to be taken seriously and that it is hard hitting, which is really effective because it basically means that the characters are multi dimensional and have a genuine meaning which makes them exciting and fun to watch. These character models are really good as well, I really liked how the various character relationships changed and adapted throughout the film - this was a small element but had a big effect because it created small pockets of emotion and shock which all ultimately came together to really make them interesting and most importantly genuine. This is backed up by the great set of dialogue too, not only does it help to make characters and scenes seem realistic but also powerful and emotional, this really helps to get us involved directly within the film and what is going on - meaning that we can really feel involved with the characters and what they are doing instead of sitting and watching as an outsider. The acting is there to bring a fantastic dynamic to latch onto in the form of Cole Sprouse and Harley Lu Richardson. They are definitely the standout performers in this film, they were absolutely amazing in their roles and really helped to make the film so great because of the passion and genuine emotion that they brought to the film which made their performances some of the best I've seen in a romance. Their chemistry is amazing, bringing the two sides of the romantic cone to life in a very sweet, charming, and surprisingly realistic way. Five Feet Apart takes these characters and does a fantastic job advancing them past the carbon copy templates most of these films do. The supporting cast does a wonderful job of being integrated into the story, their own tales and dynamics meshing well to bring out the main characters in new ways. The way in which small elements in the characters relationships have a big effect on the film is really interesting and powerful too, small elements such as the drawings of Stella have a big effect at the end, some of the scenery locations such as the lights and the birthday party - I really like how the small elements of the film ended up having a big impact, not only did this help the film to flow much better but it also had an impact on the emotional influence too. But bigger events also had a massive impact, like the holding hands on the pool cue because they couldn't touch, ice skating on the frozen pond, showing their scarred bodies and the treasure hunt with a romantic twist, these were some really key and well made scenes that helped to really make the film passionate and satisfying because they showed the genuine romance and love that they had - with a twist because of the CF and this is what made the film so great to watch because we could experience these really well made and powerful scenes. Like I've said, the characters and the plot were great but they were also emotional and the emotional effect was very powerful and well executed. Scenes that were upsetting really were intensified because the film put us in the driver's seat and really got us engaged and involved with the characters and their relationships so their reactions and emotions were matched by ours which really made them seem intense and exciting. There wasn't too much emotion though which I liked, I thought that there was a really nice mix of sadness and happiness which definitely meant that it had a powerful emotional impact and that it could be taken seriously, but also that the film wasn't all doom and gloom and there were actually some really entertaining and good feeling scenes which were enjoyable. There is a serious level of chemistry between Haley Lu Richardson and Cole Sprouse that has to be one of the most believable pairings I recall in this genre. The growing sparks between them effectively places this truly debilitating genetic condition in just the right context. They don't want your sympathy--they just want a slim chance at happiness. Yes, the teenage girls in the audience were crying rivers at the end, but for once... I could completely understand it.
As well as the characters, the plot of an film is crucial to its success. In this film, not only did the film feel ambitious but the plot felt really solid and well put together which was really impressive. I particularly liked how the film seemed to forebode in a clever way by hinting at various character relationships through gossip and emphasis on certain elements on the film. I liked how the plot was presented to us too, not only did it focus on the hospital ward which created a small ecosystem of characters for us to enjoy and get to know but the plot was simple to follow too which meant that the maximum amount of enjoyment that could be squeezed out was. Not only did this help to make the film easy to follow but it just helped to keep it interesting and exciting for us too, which again really emphasises the strength and solidity of the plot. The plot was also full of twists and turns too, not only did these help to keep the film fresh but they also ensured that we were concentrating on the film because of the unpredictable nature of the film - it definitely kept us on our toes which was awesome. The film doesn't dive straight into the plot either, it slowly introduces us to the characters and the point of the film and then slowly eases into the plot, not only is it a free flowing film but it is also a structured and very well put together film too. The story line is ambitious and it really pays off, not only do key twists and the plot help to make the film feel really powerful and exciting but they also just help to make the film enjoyable and really well put together too because it is clear that the characters aren't asking for our sympathy here, they just want to enjoy their lives and showcase what they do and how they live them. The film then finishes with a really emotional scene and a series of video transitions and slides of the characters and the drawings of Stella which just help to emphasise the emotional impact that the film has on the audience - it was the perfect way to end the film.
This film isn't perfect though, albeit there aren't many things I didn't like though! My main issue with this film was with the character relationships, yes the ways in which they adapted was satisfying but they didn't feel realistic in the way they developed and changed. They really seemed to go quickly and character relationships seemed to change and evolve very quickly, which at some points left questions as to why they had suddenly made up or had an argument, it definitely didn't feel like enough emphasis was put onto the various character relationships and their developments. The character interactions in some places weren't amazing either, primarily in the ending occurring the way it did. It was very unrealistic and seeing these miracle moments only added to the cheesy coincidences that this series is famous for. If that's not something that bothers you, no worries on this, but for me this is just something worth mentioning. As for the parents, they were okay, but I felt that for something as intense as the themes in this movie, some more involvement would have been greeted - sure it wasn't about them but I feel it would've helped to intensify themes and moods within the film and the effect that CF has on the people around them. Five Feet Apart's weakest characters are actually the parents, reduced to a few lines of dialogue and the background images. Sure, it's not about them, but in the other films similar to this, the parents were very active in the support of the kids. What happened here?
Overall, I will give this film a 9. Not only did I feel that it was really solid in the way that characters, themes and the overall plot were executed but I also felt that it felt really genuine and powerful which is a key set of attributes that need to be shown. The film also felt really well made too, I definitely found myself really interested and engaged throughout the film and even though I didn't cry (promise!), I definitely feel that the emotional scenes were powerful too. Sure, there are a few problems with character relationships developing too quickly and misrepresentation of the parents, but if you can look over them then this is actually a really solid film that can be enjoyed by all. I would definitely recommend this film, whether you're going with a partner, a mate or yourself then this film is definitely guaranteed to really provide a powerful and genuine representation of an under represented disease.
Thanks for reading my review, I hope you enjoyed reading it as much as I did writing this review and watching the film. On a side note, I have midnight screening tickets to see Avengers Endgame and Infinity War so make sure you look out for information and reviews relating to that!!
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