A refreshing take on a coming-of-age love story sees Amandla Stenberg shine as the leading lady. Everything, Everything centres on Maddy (Amandla Stenberg), a smart, curious and imaginative 18-year-old who, due to an illness, cannot leave the protection of the hermetically sealed environment within her house, and Olly (Nick Robinson), the boy next door who won’t let that stop them.
Teenage love stories are usually soppy and lack sincerity with writers not always capturing the essence of teenage love. Everything, Everything is based on a book by the same name and there are times when the dialogue does feel like a book instead of an adapted screenplay.
However, because the characters are given so much substance and the chemistry between Stenberg and Robinson is so magnetic, the style of dialogue never feels weird.
Anika Noni Rose gives a marvellous performance as the overprotective mother of Maddy.
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The storyline is a bit far-fetched and if you do watch this film, have the good sense to suspend belief. This is one of those films that you have to either buy into and enjoy the ride or be annoyed the whole way through.
One of the highlights of the film is the soundtrack. Ludwig Göransson did a stellar job of crafting current music in a way that is never jarring and added to the overall feel of the film. Warning: You could find yourself jamming to some of the tracks because they are so good.
At times, director Stella Meghie allows the film become too soppy. The assertion that most modern-day teenagers are awkward is also a bit of a misrepresentation.
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The fact that Maddy and Olly are an interracial couple is a non-issue. They are just two teenagers who fall in love, have a romantic getaway and run off into the sunset. Again, the fact that they go from flirting to full-blown love in all of five seconds is very far-fetched.
However, compared to the garbage that is Transformers: The Last Knight, Everthing, Everthing is a breath of fresh air in a cinema-scape that’s cluttered with blockbuster films.
This is a great film to watch on a date and is a great indication of the star in the making that is Stenberg.