The Sky is Everywhere movie review

MOVIE TITLE: The Sky is Everywhere

This magical Gen Z drama is now available on Apple TV+

RATING: PG-13

LENGTH: 1 hour 43 minutes

IN A NUTSHELL:

Based on the popular book by Jandy Nelson, this coming-of-age teen romance features a funny and whimsical perspective on death, grief, and life.

Tucked among the magical redwood trees of Northern California and surrounded by her grandmother’s gargantuan roses, 17-year-old Lennie Walker, a radiant musical prodigy, struggles with overwhelming grief following the sudden loss of her older sister, Bailey. When Joe Fontaine, the charismatic new guy at school, enters Lennie’s life, she’s drawn to him. But Lennie’s complicated relationship with her sister’s devastated boyfriend, Toby, starts to affect Lennie and Joe’s budding love. Through her vivid imagination and honest, conflicted heart, Lennie navigates first love and first loss to create a song of her own.

The sky IS everywhere. It begins at your feet. Get your tissues ready! If you’re a teen, you might even experience some ugly crying.

THINGS I LIKED:

Director Josephine Decker seems to really understand her target audience. She captures the vitality of youth with her colorful imagery and language as she tells a heartbreaking story filled with joy.
The young cast is really special. Grace Kaufman does an excellent job and shows an impressive amount of range. We’re sure to see a lot more of her in future work.
I adore Cherry Jones and Jason Segel. Their light personalities helped to balance all of the heavy drama.
The fun score and musical accents are fantastic. Music is a powerful healing instrument and we get to hear some lovely pieces. I wish I had spent more time as a teenager developing musical talents.
We get to spend time in one of California’s magical forests.
I love that in a movie about death and grief, we are surrounded by gorgeous gardens, the sounds of chirping birds, flowers, beautiful colors, and all kinds of nature. Nature is used as a symbol of healing in creative ways and could easily be called one of the characters in the cast.
I got a kick out of the scene when Lennie is looking for a sign and all kinds of entertaining events are happening all around her without her seeing any of it.
I love the blend of literature, music, fantasy, and inspirational images.
There are some truly tender moments that will touch your heart.
There are also some wise words that we can learn from.
It’s fun and even enlightening to visit the headspace of a teenager.
It was perfect to illustrate the feeling of love with several images of floating because that’s exactly what it feels like!

THINGS I DIDN’T LIKE:

There are some flashbacks that might confuse viewers with the timeline.
The target audience is definitely Gen Z, so some adults might roll their eyes at all of the teenage angst and drama.
Some viewers might get bored waiting for something “to happen” but you have to remember it’s a journey through death and life.

TIPS FOR PARENTS:

Talk of death
Some awkward conversations and sound effects about a certain mail anatomical body part
Talk of intimate relations
Kissing
Love triangle
Some “mild” profanity

THEMES:

Grief
Celebration of life and wasting life
Fear
Cynicism
Death and loss
Romance and love
Music
Friendship
Connection
Forgiveness
Joy

FUNNY LINES:

“You’re like my dad.” – Lennie Walker (Grace Kaufman) “You’re like my dad too.” – Big Walker (Jason Segel)
“Your toes are so awesome.” – Lennie Walker (Grace Kaufman)

INTERESTING LINES:

“Once there were two sisters who were not afraid of the dark because the dark was always full of the other’s voice.” – Lennie Walker (Grace Kaufman)
“No one at school gets it.” – Lennie Walker (Grace Kaufman) “I don’t think it’s possible to ‘get it’ unless you’re in it like we are.” – Toby Shaw (Pico Alexander)
“Maybe one day you’ll put down Wuthering Heights and live your own life.” – Bailey (Havana Rose Liu)
“Day after day without her…forever.” – Lennie Walker (Grace Kaufman)
“What if I did something truly terrible?” – Lennie Walker (Grace Kaufman) “Don’t do it again.” – Big Walker (Jason Segel)
“My mind is not a safe place. I can’t shove the dark out of the way.” – Lennie Walker (Grace Kaufman)
“It tastes really good. It’s too soon for it to not taste like ashes.” – Lennie Walker (Grace Kaufman)
“I just want to be in love. I just want to be in life.” – Lennie Walker (Grace Kaufman)
“Grief is forever, isn’t it?” – Lennie Walker (Grace Kaufman)
“You took a big risk and that’s what love is.” – Big Walker (Jason Segel)
“I don’t want to miss out on my life either just because I’m afraid.” – Joe Fontaine (Jacques Colimon)