Turtles All the Way Down
Turtles All the Way Down is streaming on Max at the time of writing. Rated PG-13. Common Sense says 13+.
STORY: C+
An earnest, coming of age love triangle between a boy, a girl, and her OCD.
Aza Holmes (Isabel Merced) reconnects with her summer camp crush Davis (Felix Mallard), who just happens to be the son of a missing billionaire. Will they find his father? Will they find love? Or will OCD devour every single one of her dreams?
PEOPLE: B+
Isabel Merced’s acting climbs to a new level.
In the scenes where Aza’s OCD rises up, Merced’s acting is vulnerable, gripping, and raw. It’s a side I haven’t seen from her. Her performance clearly, loudly shows that she deserves more chances to show off her range.
FILM NERD STUFF: D
The flow is jumpy, as if a lot of scenes are skipped over.
Have you ever suddenly found yourself in an argument, unsure how it began or why it’s happening? If not, trust me - it’s very confusing. The choppy editing made me feel he same way multiple times.
ELECTIVE CLASS (Let’s Talk About It): A+
Its no holds barred depiction of mental illness is equally authentic and sympathetic.
The filmmakers don’t romanticize Aza’s mental illness - her OCD makes Pennywise look like a puppy dog. The depiction of intrusive thoughts and the struggle they bring is jarring, honest, and heartbreaking.
FINAL COMMENTS:
The film’s strength stems more from the spotlight it shines on mental illness (particularly via Merced’s performance) than anything else.
Turtles All the Way Down is a must-see for John Green completists, rom-com die-hards, and people who think that they or someone they care for is suffering from a mental illness.
It’s rare for a film to give mental illness this much screen time, and I’m grateful it does. I hope more films geared toward teens will do the same. More people are suffering from mental illnesses than you realize.
Let’s take care of each other.