The new number one film on Netflix globally has been watched a whopping 24,400,000 times since its release – and is inspiring fans to break up with their boyfriends.
The Life List is a rom-com/drama starring Sofia Carlson, Kyle Allen and Connie Britton, and written and directed by Adam Brooks from the novel of the same name by Lori Nelson Spielman.
After the death of her mother Elizabeth (Britton), Alex (Carlson) revisits her childhood aspirations, endeavouring to achieve her old goals, only to discover that pursuing these lifelong dreams takes her on an unforeseen and surprising journey.
She is set on a path to follow the life list she wrote at 13 by her mother, in order to unlock her inheritance as well as another video message from beyond the grave.
Alongside this, Elizabeth gives Alex a true love test to determine if she is truly open to love, which is made of four questions/criteria, something she takes to her boyfriend Finn (Michael Rowland).
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Fans of the film have subsequently been making some major life changes after watching The Life List.
‘Adam [Brooks] would call me all the time after test screenings, and he would say that there were so many people that would [tell him], “I ended up breaking up with my boyfriend,” or “I ended up changing or quitting my job”,’ Carlson told Entertainment Weekly of the movie’s impact in raising ‘all these existential questions’.
‘That’s the beauty of this film. It’s so much more than a rom-com,’ the 31-year-old added, who also starred in Netflix’s big end-of-year thriller hit, Carry-On, opposite Taron Egerton and Jason Bateman.
Former Disney Channel star Carlson also shared that she has been inspired to sort out her own life list since making the film – a sentiment echoed by others who have since watched it on Netflix.
‘I rarely find a Netflix Original movie very touching… however, The Life List hit me hard,’ shared Koel Ghosh in a five-star review on Google as she added it to her list of ‘all-time favourites’ and added: ‘Off to writing my own life list!’
‘This movie was so inspiring. I wish I had a life list, maybe I can write one now and see where I’ll be this time next year,’ wrote Destany Torres in her full-marks reaction to the film.
Meanwhile, Mika Ranya insisted that ‘this movie can truly help you heal’, continuing: ‘It’s been 25 years when [sic] my dad died but a portion of me is still wounded, I haven’t completely healed. This movie is teaching me how do it. I will, thank you.’
Another fan agreed, admitting that ‘ordinarily, I wouldn’t be emotionally affected by this type of movie, but I’m giving it five stars because it offers a profound life lesson for viewers who engage with it fully’.
While Melissa Driscoll insisted that the movie deserved ‘one million stars for sure’, Vineet Dharma praised it as ‘a piece of art’, ‘a psychotherapy session’ and a ‘must-watch’.
Charlotte Haggerty claimed that she ‘cried at least 12 times’, while RT marvelled at the fact that they ‘watched this movie and saw pieces of my own life reflected back at me’.
However, not everyone was as captured by The Live List, which does have a 73% fan rating on Rotten Tomatoes but a 47% score from critics on the review aggregator site.
What are the four questions in The Life List?
These are the questions Elizabeth asks Alex to test herself with regarding potential partners to find out if she’s truly open to love:
- Is he kind?
- Can you tell him everything in your heart?
- Does he help you become the best version of yourself?
- Can you imagine him as the father of your children?
‘Has all the appeal of a three-hour twelve step meeting after you have been sober for 20 years. Not one thing is new, inspiring and triggers bad memories of opportunities lost,’ complained Sue McAley on Google, while Allan chimed in on Rotten Tomatoes: ‘The sun coming up every day is less predictable than this sloppy lump of cheese. About two hours too long.’
‘This movie is unwatchable. The plot is contrived but the terrible acting is what kills it. Sofia Carson is gorgeous, but her acting is painful,’ added Maggie S.
The Life List is streaming exclusively on Netflix now.
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