Stella Grant (Haley Lu Richardson, Left) falls for Will Newman (Cole Sprouse, Right) in ‘Five Feet Apart.’/Courtesy of Alfonso Bresciani
For fans of young-adult romance movies, two terminally ill teens falling in love may not seem like an original concept. While “Five Feet Apart” initially invokes the same feelings as blockbuster movies like “Everything, Everything” and “The Fault in Our Stars,” it later attempts to create its own space in the genre by developing intense, on-screen connections between characters aside from the two teens in love.
Directed by Justin Baldoni, “Five Feet Apart” follows a romance between Will Newman (Cole Sprouse) and Stella Grant (Haley Lu Richardson) as they both seek treatment for cystic fibrosis (CF) at Saint Grace Regional Hospital. Initially, their relationship is guided heavily by hospital policy mandating 6 feet of space between all CF patients. Will and Stella are joined by Poe (Moises Arias), a long-term patient receiving treatment for another terminal illness, and Nurse Barb (Kimberly Hebert Gregory). The four characters develop a tight-knit bond that charms audiences. As the plot develops with Will’s and Stella’s efforts to win each other over, Poe provides comic relief that later gives way to wisdom, while the seasoned and motherly Nurse Barb peppers in caring yet witty remarks.
Nurse Barb and Poe add texture and depth to the love story that unfolds between Will and Stella. Poe fills the void that is left by Stella’s friends as she is confined to the hospital, while Barb acts as a voice of reason when the two lovers act illogically. The interactions between Poe and Stella convey their ease with one another, and their naturally flowing dialogue explains important background information.
The film picks up pace after Will and Stella overcome their initial awkwardness with one another. Each scene thereafter consists of tender displays of emotion from characters bound by a haunting terminal illness that could prove fatal any day. This narrative, of a girl closely following the manic pixie dream girl trope who works to motivate a rebellious fellow patient, effectively builds upon itself to avoid feeling stagnant. The romance grows, with ups and downs leading to moments of both joy and sorrow, more completely than expected during the two hours and fifteen minute runtime of the film. Building again on the film’s similarities to other young-adult romance films, the theme of living each moment to the fullest pervades every scene. Will and Stella’s eagerness makes the plot move at a remarkably quick pace but also authenticate the characters’ development. Despite living with terminal diseases, characters act on their emotions in explosive displays of affection followed by tragic consequences.
Although the film does a tremendous job in developing the characters who live at the hospital, other characters, such as Stella’s sister Abby (Sophia Bernard), come across as one-dimensional plot devices that add unnecessary tension to Will and Stella’s relationship. Although Abby is obviously important to Stella, her underdeveloped nature causes her presence to feel forced.
In an attempt to set itself up as a unique, teen romance movie, the film fully explores only a portion of the cast, decreasing the potential for audience connection to the movie. Instead of bridging the gap and setting itself apart, these half-baked side characters are sporadically included throughout the movie in less meaningful ways than the other characters on screen.
In addition to powerful primary characters, “Five Feet Apart” employs refreshing cinematography that branches out from typical methods of filmmaking. Stella’s YouTube vlogs about living with CF are shot in a home video style, complete with shaky second-person perspectives of her hospitalization. These moments contextualize Stella’s experience with CF and allow the film to focus on the budding relationship between Will and Stella rather than getting bogged down in medical details while still keeping them relevant.
“Five Feet Apart” clearly depicts how CF affects the lives of the characters; the audience has the opportunity to take in Will and Stella’s emotional exchanges as they pause to cough explosively or recover from even the slightest physical activity. Silence extends to many of the film’s transitional moments; music and muted dialogue detach the audience from what’s happening on screen and allow for the actors to build their connections with one another in more intimate ways. This adds texture to the overall product and maintains audience connection through slower parts of the film.
For a movie that, at its core, is another rendition of the tired formula of teen romance dramas, “Five Feet Apart” offers enough variability to set it apart from other entries in the genre. The film is an emotional journey that proves to be a worthwhile investment for those who enjoy teen romance movies but seek moments of innovation within the genre.
Grade: A-
Joel Lerner (20Ox, 22C) is from Johns Creek, Georgia, majoring in environmental science. Outside of the Wheel, his interests include theater, music and books. If you want to strike up a (seemingly endless) conversation with him, just mention “Doctor Who” or TikTok. Contact Lerner at joel.robert.lerner@emory.edu.
