Life Itself: A Film Review

He's done it again. Dan Fogelman has written and produced something so beautiful that it's hard to put into words. But, that is exactly what I'm here to try and do. I am in no way going to reveal spoilers for this film, but can assure you that it is one we all need to watch.

Life Itself, Movie Poster, 2019

Here it is. A little bit of Tarantino's Pulp Fiction meets NBC's This Is Us.

If, like me, you are a fan of in depth writing and overlapping story lines, or enjoy the twisted fate of characters that are so easy to understand, then you will love this film.

I went to see it last night, with no-prior knowledge of what the film was about, and was once again blown away by the talent behind Fogelman's writing and portrayal of events.

I have been longing for a feature length version of This Is Us, and I'm telling you, This Is It.

My initial response to the start of the film, with Samuel L. Jackson as an awkward, comedic narrator, was that this was not going to be what I had initially thought. It didn't fit my expectations of the writer's style, and felt slightly out of place.

However, once that initial start scene occurred and the deeper story began to unfold, Fogelman did not disappoint. It was for good reason that Jackson's cameo kicked off the start of the film, highlighting perception as a trick that life can play on certain events.

The way the film continued with the pull of intense, emotional writing, will bring you to complete awe at the way that life's events unfold.

The film has Abby, (Olivia Wilde) address life as the ultimate unreliable narrator; falling into its unexpected twists and turns and narrative tricks. Through New York couple, Abby and Will's (Oscar Isaac) complex relationship and expectations of having their first child, Fogelman writes with the power to truly shock and wow an audience.

Once you have been pulled in by the story, the rest of the film will make you laugh, smile, cry and feel heartache, all at once. As it is basically a collection of stories, integrated into one film, the total of two hours running time felt quite long, but, because each detail is so well thought-out and displayed, each minute is absolutely worth it.

The story continues, following the chapters of different people's lives across continents and generations; exploring where each individual life really started. Paths are intertwined with one another, showing how a person's story begins well before they did, and can continue long after.

'It's just strange how a completely random moment that happened way before I was born, could shape my entire life.'

- Will, Life Itself.

The sentiment felt towards each set of characters is strong, with emotions flying in all sorts of directions as their paths unfold and interconnect through New York and Spain. The three sets of relationships we see are twisted and beautiful, the cinematic portrayal of their lives truly capturing the intricacies of time and how fickle some life paths can be.

This felt like such an appropriate and important film to see at this point in my life. It has rounded off my first week into the new year with its perfectly timed, philosophical approach to life.

It allows us to understand and appreciate how the slightest change in path or perspective can alter so many realities; touching on whether things happen because we choose them, or because the universe does. Though set out in the trailer to look like a romance, it feels like so much more than your average loved-up movie.

It teaches us the pains of life's unexpected curve balls in a way that pulls, quite hard, on your heart strings, yet still leaves you feeling uplifted and inspired by the beautiful complexities of life itself.

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Though I don't believe in watching trailers because they mostly give everything away, I've watched this one after seeing the film, and it's pretty good. Though not everything may be quite what it seems, if you still need more convincing, here it is: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=b5kwtJkUdpA