Turtles All The Way Down movie review

MOVIE TITLE: Turtles All The Way Down

This coming-of-age drama is now available to purchase or rent online on sites like HBO Max, Amazon Prime Video, and YouTube.

RATING: PG-13

LENGTH: 1 hour 51 minutes

Movie Review Mom GRADE: A-

SPONSOR of Today’s movie review: https://amzn.to/4dueGl5

IN A NUTSHELL:

John Green, somehow, knows how teenage girls think. This is another insightful, funny movie written by John Green, based on his popular book of the same name. I love that he has a small cameo moment in the movie too. His YouTube channel called “Crash Course” is really great and I’ve even shown some of the educational videos to my university students over the years. I’m such a fan.

The dramatic romance was directed by Hannah Marks. John Green’s screenwriting team included Elizabeth Berger and Isaac Aptaker.

I thought this movie was extremely thoughtful and funny.

THINGS I LIKED:

Isabela Merced is fantastic in this. I think I first noticed her when she played the iconic character Dora the Explorer in the live-action movie.
Cree Cicchino stole the show. The actress from Queens got her start as a dancer, but she truly shines as a wise-cracking teenager. She’s also a singer who hopes to launch an album at some point, claiming that Rihanna is her inspiration. Fun fact: She has a twin sister named Jayce.
Other cast members who do a great job are Felix Mallard, Maliq Johnson, J. Smith-Cameron, and Judy Reyes.
At about the 1-hour mark, we learn where the intriguing title comes from. No spoilers!
There is so much wisdom in this film, especially for people who struggle with anything. That pretty much includes everyone.
The ending is really sweet.
I love that the movie doesn’t attempt to solve Aza’s issues or tie up everything in a perfect bow.
OCD is complex. The movie does a fantastic job helping us understand how someone with OCD thinks and struggles with their own thoughts. I think a lot of people with OCD, especially teens, will feel seen and understood in this movie.
I haven’t read the book, but I hear it is a very good representation and stays close to the source material.
I love that the teens talk about going to college. Two of them visit a university to attend a famous professor’s lecture. Aza, the main character, lights up with immense joy, which is something I feel when I learn something new! I felt like I finally woke up when I first went to college. For the first time, I truly wanted to learn and understand everything, not just do assignments to get a grade. As a university professor, myself, I truly believe in higher education and, ultimately, lifelong learning.

THINGS I DIDN’T LIKE:

The movie is described as a girl with OCD and how she helps solve a mystery. The mystery is a super small element of the story.
I think the movie poster could have been much more compelling. It’s hard to know if the two girls are best friends or lesbian lovers.
Some might not like the ambiguous ending, but I thought it was perfect.

TIPS FOR PARENTS:

Some crude conversations about a male body part.
We have to read a lot of texts that teens write to each other.
We see a teenage couple making out on a couch.
We learn that two of the teens both lost a parent and met at a special camp when they were younger to help them deal with their grief.

THEMES:

OCD
Anxiety
Free will
Overthinking
Germs
Being self-absorbed
Negative self-talk
Friendship
Control
Hope
Supporting others

FUNNY LINES:

“Why can’t you have that super observant kind of OCD that makes you an amazing detective in all those crime shows that my dad watches?” – Daisy (Cree Cicchino)
“What if you got superpowers if you kissed him?” – Daisy (Cree Cicchino)
“He’s been pining for me for months.” – Daisy (Cree Cicchino)
“Really? How do you know?” – Aza Holmes (Isabela Merced) “Because I have eyes.” – Daisy (Cree Cicchino)
“You don’t have to wait for a boy to ask you out. What are you: a handmaiden?” – Daisy (Cree Cicchino)
“I am so done with the idea that there is like nobility in turning down money.” – Daisy (Cree Cicchino)

INTERESTING LINES:

“You’re not your name.” – Aza Holmes (Isabela Merced)
“The greatest weapon against stress is our ability to choose one thought over another.” – William James quote
“No one ever says goodbye unless they want to see you again.” – Davis (Felix Mallard)
“How come it’s so easy to talk to you?” – Davis (Felix Mallard) “I don’t know. Maybe it’s because our hearts are broken in the same places.” – Aza Holmes (Isabela Merced)
“I’m worried that I’m not real.” – Aza Holmes (Isabela Merced
“I think your doubts make you more real, not less.” – Professor (J. Smith-Cameron)
“It’s not how you die; it’s who you die.” – sign on a wall at an art exhibition
“I want to be a supportive friend. It’s this new thing I’m trying.” – Aza Holmes (Isabela Merced)
“Love is both how you become a person and why.” – Daisy (Cree Cicchino)
“Love, Holmsy, is how you become real.” – Daisy (Cree Cicchino)