The Life List Succumbs to Superficiality, Yet Still Delivers Joy
Photos via Netflix
The Life List, the story of Alex Rose (Sofia Carson), a young woman on a quest to complete a bucket list crafted in childhood in order to receive her inheritance, is a shallow but entertaining Netflix tearjerker. I am a constant skeptic of romantic comedies, but for a Hallmark-ish feeling rom-com that withholds any substantial emotional exploration of much of its subject matter, The Life List List still managed to charm me.
The film’s main pitfall lies in its unwillingness to engage with the heaviness of its exposition. Alex’s mother (Connie Britton) shares her terminal cancer diagnosis with her daughter in the first 10 minutes of the film, setting our emotional stakes. The two share a remarkably superficial moment that simply fails to embody the deeper emotional intricacies of their situation. That moment comes across as shockingly inauthentic. This exposition sets a low bar, but the rest of the film then defies expectations by delivering a surprisingly fleshed out and touching story of self-discovery and familial reconciliation.
In a redeeming second and third act, Alex explores her own identity and relationships. She starts the film as a directionless 20-something, forced by her late mother to complete her bucket list of tasks–ranging from performing stand-up comedy to finding true love–in order to receive her inheritance. Alex fulfills a clear and rewarding character arc and does indeed eventually find true love, even in an unfortunately predictable (and professionally unethical and unrealistic) manner. Alex’s story is nevertheless satisfying wishcasting material, and delivers what many rom-com viewers fancy–happy endings, comfort, and predictability. Her story is heartwarming, dynamic, and captivating enough to keep audiences engaged despite its predictable storyline.