The Life List Is A Beautiful, Heartwarming Reminder That Everything Will Be Okay
In Netflix’s new film The Life List, we’re introduced to Alex Rose (Sofia Carson) as she grapples with her mother Elizabeth’s (Connie Britton) death. Before passing, her mother made arrangements to give Alex a pre-recorded DVD along with Alex’s childhood life list. As she completes each goal, she’s given more DVDs by appointed lawyer Brad Ackerman (Kyle Allen) and goes through a messy, confusing, and self-rewarding journey to bring her closer to the life she’s meant to have.
Can I just start off by saying that Carson is such a talented romance lead? I’m in awe every time she’s on screen because she comes in with such grace and warmth. It’s no different with her character Alex, who is in a stage of her life where nothing is truly fulfilling her. She displays this goofy side to her, but also the passionate side when thrust into completing the list. I loved watching her persevere through everything on the docket from moshing to playing “Claire De Lune” on piano in honor of her mother. It’s also sweet to watch her journey to finding true love — an almost impossible requisite to check off her list in a limited time. We’re given two potential love interests with Brad and her colleague at the women’s shelter Garrett (Sebastian de Souza). As a Skins fan, I was excited to see de Souza and both he and Allen do a wonderful job opposite Carson. Their relationships are so different, but it’s clear that Brad knows Alex on a deeper level. Though the love story is only part of a larger narrative, I was fully invested and believed every moment from start to finish.
The relationship between Alex and her late mother is incredibly heartwarming to watch. Between Carson’s subtly sweet facial expressions and Britton’s vulnerability, their relationship is so special and it just beams off the screen. Everytime Alex faces a roadblock, the videos her mother left her help bring her back with her inspirational words and glowing spirit. They are the heart of the film and its message relates to anyone who feels a little lost in life. I caught myself tearing up at those precious moments because it’s such a universal feeling and it’s okay. In the wise words of Elizabeth, “Life is beautiful, messy, and complicated, and sometimes it doesn’t look the way it’s supposed to look. Keep going.” That’s a beautiful sentiment to viewers to keep chasing their dreams and aspirations no matter what. This allows Alex to look deeper within herself as to what is missing in her life, including sending her on a search for her biological father Johnny (Jordí Mollà) and opening up the opportunity for her to rekindle her relationship with the father who raised her, Samuel (José Zúñiga). I also want to highlight the film’s strong Latino representation, particularly Molla’s cover of Natalia Lafourcade’s “Hasta La Raiz,” which added a truly touching moment to the story.
The Life List beautifully explores the themes of taking charge of your life and pursuing what truly fulfills you. Through self-discovery and reflection, it’s a reminder that it's okay not to have all the answers in life, as long as you're willing to try. The film is riddled with inspiration for viewers to embrace new experiences, face challenges head-on, and to trust the process, no matter the uncertainty.
The Life List is out now on Netflix.
