‘All The Bright Places’ is everything you could want in a rom-com

I’ll admit it. My so-called obsession with romcoms has turned from healthy to concerning. I spent days bawling over Noah and Ally’s relationship in “The Notebook” and drooling over Noah Flynn from “The Kissing Booth.” No matter the romcom, you can find me lying in bed enjoying every second of it (and fangirling over the boys). 

“All the Bright Places,” Netflix’s newest original movie about two teenagers, immediately caught my eye — not to mention watching it meant I could put off my “Lord of The Flies” essay for another two hours. 

The movie began with Violet Markey, the main female character, standing on the edge of a bridge contamplating suicide — not the type of beginning I’m used to. Right away I could tell this wouldn’t be one of the unrealistic, rainbow-filled romcoms that I was accustomed to watching. 

Violet stands there until Theodore Finch, the leading male, finds her while he’s on a jog and coaxes her down from the edge — quite the first impression. From there, Theodore — or as the characters call him, Finch — convinces a reluctant Violet to work with him on a school project, where they have to visit and write about different “wonders” in Indiana. 

The two travel all over Indiana — biking to the highest point in the state and visiting a tree where thousands of people have hung their shoes. On the ride back, they finally kiss, kickstarting the typical love story (and my happy tears). The rest of the movie consists of them laughing and smiling the entire time — but they also argued. 

Unlike the overly-happy, sunny romcoms that I’ve grown to love, this romcom was realistic and showed actual issues. Finch has a habit of disappearing for days anytime something goes wrong and not responding to anyone — even Violet. I found myself getting invested in all of their constant arguments, and praying for them to make up each time. 

But in the end, they always made up — my favorite part of the movie. And not only did they make up, their love grew stronger. 

The movie was the story of two people who had issues going on, and worked through them together. It made me feel angry, excited and sad all at once.  It only fueled my romcom addiction — I’ll be rewatching it until I can find my own Theodore Finch.