Hey there book nerds!

After years of production work, the film adaptation of All the Bright Places has finally been released onto Netflix and within twenty-four hours it was a trending movie over there. Granted, fans of the book have only been waiting, five years? In any case, I re-read the book in anticipation of the film to kind of refresh what happens in the book so I’d be ready.

As expected with any adaptation, there were some changes to what happens in the film. This being more like how things went for Finch and Violet, but also even their meeting place was modified and sort of threw me off right at the beginning. I’m not complaining, just stating a fact. One of the other major changes was that we don’t see Finch’s parents at all, though the relationship remains the same, and it seems that his younger sister, Decca, was written out of the film as she wasn’t even mentioned. However, I did love the relationship Finch has with his older sister, Kate, in this film – it was absolutely adorable!

I thought both characters were portrayed incredibly by Elle Fanning and Justice Smith. Both Violet and Finch were brought to life in a way that stayed true to how they are in the book, so let’s applaud these two amazing actors for their performance! Just as well, all the secondary characters were portrayed fantastically… I actually wish there had been more of Charlie and Brenda (Finch’s friends) and even more of Finch’s sister, Kate.

Just like the book, the film also comes with a number of trigger warnings, though as of the moment they are not included before the film. Both the book and film deal with abuse, depression, anxiety, suicide, and death. As I have read the book twice, I knew these things going into watching the film, but those who haven’t read the book and go right to the movie should be warned beforehand.

Overall, I absolutely loved this adaptation! I honestly wish it had been a little longer just so I could have more time with these characters on-screen. I will definitely be watching it at least a few more times in the next month or so because it’s just that good. Though again, be aware of the trigger warnings before going into watching this film – it’s not a fluffy YA romance, despite the fact that Finch and Violet are adorable together. Don’t let that fool you. You’ll most likely need some tissues by the end of the movie.

So, with all that said, what were some things you did or did not like about the movie adaptation?