Heartfelt, mindful, deliberate. These are the three words my grandmother and I used to describe Netflix’s newly-released movie “The Life List” to our other friends and family. Based on a Lori Nelson Spielman novel and directed by Adam Brooks, “The Life List” follows a young woman by the name of Alex, played by Sofia Carson, as she grapples with the recent death of her mother, played by Connie Britton. 

Alex is initially presented as a prudent, farsighted and circumspect young woman working as the marketing director for her mother’s cosmetic company and living with her ambitionless boyfriend. Though obviously unhappy with her current life status, Alex continuously denies this to her family members until her mother reveals the gut-wrenching news that she is terminally ill. Alex is then given an ultimatum through her mother’s will: to either follow a list of life goals she created as a 13-year-old, or to receive none of her mother’s inheritance. As Alex embarks on this journey to complete this list, she unravels many hidden family secrets and discovers a lot that she did not know about herself. 

I think that one of the most compelling aspects of this movie was the fact that it centers around the relationship between a mother and daughter. Without giving away too many spoilers, each time that Alex completes one of the items on her 13-year-old self’s bucket list, she receives a DVD video from her now deceased mother, congratulating her on completing the item on the list. Each video is personalized to each item completed on the list, which I felt was a beautiful and unique way for the production team to channel her mother’s spirit. Each time Alex played one of these videos, I found myself forgetting that her mother was deceased and speaking in the past. With each new DVD clip, I became more and more attached to the bond between Alex and her mother. It was without a doubt my favorite part of this movie and for sure the most memorable aspect as well. 

Similar to my favorite feature of this movie, my grandmother’s favorite part was Alex’s character development and growth throughout the story, which I strongly agree with. My grandma specifically told me that what she loved most was the “daughter [Alex] growing up/maturing via the ingenious design of her mother.” I can confidently say that the Alex showcased at the beginning of the film and the Alex we eventually see at the end of the film are two drastically different characters. I think that the biggest lessons that we as the audience learn through Alex’s character development is both the value of being willing to accept change in life and the power of love within our close relationships. When Alex decided to step out of her comfort zone and complete the items on her list, both my grandma and I noticed an immediate change in her character. I felt that with each item that Alex checked off, her maturity level continued to grow. Most importantly, however, I loved that Alex’s growth stemmed largely from her mother’s love, even if it was through an ultimatum. 

While she is mostly known for her performance in the Disney Channel Original Movie series “Descendants,” I felt that Carson did an outstanding job portraying the character Alex, especially given the fact that this movie’s storyline drastically varies from that of “Descendants.” Not only did she do an excellent job rendering Alex as an individual, she presented her as a relatable, lovable and enchanting character, especially for those who have grieved the loss of a loved one. I fell more in love with Alex with each second of the movie that passed and so did my grandmother. 

I feel as though I cannot give a fair assessment of this movie without also giving a round of applause to Britton, who played Carson’s mother. Her ability to portray and channel a mother’s love for her daughter through a series of video clips is something I truly commend; it’s not something just any actor could do at such a deep level. As I mentioned earlier, I constantly found myself forgetting that this mother was talking to her daughter via video. I would suddenly remember that she was no longer alive — a testament to Britton’s strength as an actor.  

I would strongly recommend this movie to any Netflix users. Even if you do not have a whole two hours and five minutes lying around to dedicate to watching this movie, it is still a great one to watch in increments. That is how my grandma and I viewed this movie, and we still had a wonderful time. Perhaps, as you watch this film, you could brainstorm a couple of items that you might add to your own “life list.”