The Half of It (2020) review - Movie Thoughts (Chapter 7) 💞
(**disclaimer: the
following thoughts are 100% my opinion, you do not have to agree with them -
film is inherently subjective and everyone's perspective is valid! Also, there
are probably spoilers in the following, read at your own risk. Now onto some
thoughts....**)
 |
| Source: IMDB |
Beautifully
intelligent, warm and passionately complex, Alice Wu’s The Half of It wears its raw emotions on its sleeve and
upends expectations in a captivating emotional rollercoaster. The story of a shy
and hard-working introvert who agrees to help a kind-hearted jock write love
letters to woo the pastor’s daughter, even though they both have a crush on her;
the wide conceptual scope beyond just a linear love story adds complexity and
depth to its overall impact.
As clique as
it sounds, this is thankfully not a ‘typical’ love story. Utterly refreshing
given many by the numbers rom-com’s have graced the pages of Netflix in recent years,
it will probably go under the radar in terms of general popularity despite its
general demographic potential. Woven within the concept and dialogue are a
number of evocative and thought-provoking topics to inspire an audience who
needs to hear the film’s messages right now. Visually, the small conservative
town of Squahamish looks largely monotone, but the grey neutral palette still
feels calm and in tune with the emotional tone. The music also enhances the
mood, with the acoustic and instrumental pieces complimenting the introspective
and thoughtful atmosphere.
Much of the
film’s unique heart comes from the outstanding work of writer/director Alice
Wu. Her storytelling language is really easy to watch, yet still packs an
emotional punch. There’s a subtle beauty in the dialogue and how the plot
develops. Nothing is dramatically overblown, and everything is really measured,
yet extremely poignant. This was especially true for the arc of Ellie (Leah
Lewis)’s father Collin Chou (Edwin Chu), which ended up being some of the most
impactful material despite this subplot not necessarily being the most obvious.
Although the church scene where everyone is laying out some very personal stuff
in front of the entire, very perplexed, population of Squahamish was very
awkward and heading towards cliqued dramatics, it’s refreshing that this film
wasn’t built on sweeping cheesiness and ill-considered ideas.
The film
opens with a poignant quote from Plato and a beautifully animated sequence of
Ellie’s voiceover thoughts. Both philosophical and contemplative, Wu
immediately envelops the audience in the intellectual and unassuming way Ellie sees
the world. The continued use of quotes throughout was such a clever writing
tool and reinforced the powerful and expressive script Wu has written.
The power of
this film also comes from the unique and layered performances of a very
talented ensemble cast; void of big name actors as a draw card or potential
distraction. Each character is so clearly developed with honesty and dealing
with their own relatable struggles that adds widespread appeal to the story.
Protagonist Ellie Chu (Lewis) was subtle yet clever and remarkably
self-assured. Her struggles with her family, immigrant parents, sexuality and
faith in a conservative community is incredibly compelling and she’s such an
easy character to get lost in and root for. Paul Munsky (Daniel Diemer) is
harder to read sometimes because he is the product of Squahamish’s
insular-looking outlook on life, yet he is surprisingly funny and warm. His undying
supportive nature and ability to just be himself without thinking too hard
about the consequences takes a while to truly sink in, but by the end he is
such a loveable character. Aster Flores (Alexxis Lemire) is setup as the
romantic love interest for both Ellie and Paul, and that reveal hits the right
tone as one of the most gut-punching scenes in the film. She’s more mysterious
and unsure of herself and her path despite her popularity and security as the
town pastor’s daughter, yet her journey of self-discovery is surprisingly noteworthy.
There’s a balance in how each of the three lead characters’ arcs are developed
and overlap, where the romance is almost a tool you can ignore in order to
invest in how their connections grow and affirm their own paths as individuals.
In the same vein, the ending reflects this necessity for integrity and character
strength; bypassing a clique in favour of something much more powerful and
memorable.
A genuinely authentic
pull on the heart strings, The Half of It is much more than just a story about love or finishing high school.
Wu’s storytelling is clever and heartfelt, with honest and raw moments throughout
that never lose an ounce of intensity. Full of soul and reflection on the true meaning of love outside the conventional, this film
is such an invigorating breath of fresh air in the YA film market.
9.5/10, 4.5 STARS
Thanks for reading,
Love and diverse love stories, Emily 💞
Comments
Post a Comment