LIFE LIST, THE
(director/writer: Adam Ballhaus; screenwriter: based on the book by Lori Nelson Spielman; editor: Peter Teschner; music: Will Bates; cast: Sofia Carson (Alex), Kyle Allen (Brad), Sebastian De Souza (Garrett), Connie Britton (Elizabeth), Dario Ladani Sanchez (brother Lucas), Federico Rodriguez (brother Julian), Marianne Rendón (Zoe), José Zúñiga (Samuel), Michael Rowland (Finn), Chelsea Frei (Megan), Luca Padovan (Ezra), Maria Jung (Nina); Runtime: 123; MPAA Rating: PG-13; producers: Liza Chazin; Netflix; 2025)
“A feel-good rom/com.”
Reviewed by Dennis Schwartz
A feel-good rom/com from the writer-director Adam Ballhaus (“Definitely, Maybe”/”The Invisible Circus”) about handling grief and self-discovery. It’s based on the bestselling book by Lori Nelson Spielman.
The 30-something aimless Alex (Sofia Carson) lives in NYC and plays for fun in a band. She comes from a wealthy family and has two conforming brothers (Dario Ladani Sanchez & Federico Rodriguez). Her family considers her a misfit. Her loafer boyfriend Finn (Michael Rowland), whom she does not love but enjoys being with, works in a record store and spends most of his time as a layabout trying to develop a zombie video game.
The death by cancer of Elizabeth (Connie Britton), Alex’s mother, is an important part of schematic plot. Alex works in the marketing department of mom’s cosmetic company, and expects to be rewarded.
At the reading of her will, mom names her daughter-in-law as the CEO of her company and fires Alex. The will is read in the office of the handsome young bachelor lawyer Brad (Kyle Allen). Alex is left with a DVD and what she wrote as a teenager as her life list of goals/dreams. Alex must check off every one of those goals before the end of the year. Each goal met will unlock a new DVD containing a personal message from beyond the grave. In that way Alex will earn her inheritance after the year is up. Alex’s list includes doing standup comedy, getting tattoos and finding true love.
During Alex’s next 12 months she does such things as take part in a mosh pit, standup comedy and searches for true love. The two guys she hooks up with are Brad and a hunky doctor Garrett (Sebastian De Souza).
Alex entertains thoughts about teaching again, a job she was previously fired from without any explanation given why. There’s no follow-up on what happens in her desire to teach.
Alex also gets a chance to reunite with her estranged father Samuel (José Zúñiga), who gives her sound advice.
The film plays it safe and offers nothing edgy, it just wants to find out who Alex ends up being rather than who she will marry. Anyhow, it seems evident Brad is her choice.
I found the story shallow, overlong and dull. Sofia Carson’s performance was fine but it did not move me, as I found her not believable in her portrayal of a rebel.
REVIEWED ON 4/17/2025 GRADE: C+
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