Você Nem Imagina

Netflix suggested that movie and even in the trailer I thought that looks promising. Little did I know that this would be an overachiever. It is cleverer than the usual coming of age and finding yourself stories.

The power lies in the writing and in the direction. I don't wanna knock the cast they are all fine but they are not the strength of the movie. It is the writing with a very clear constructed story with very well established themes and a well formed character arc for our protagonist that is also reflected in the supporting cast. This is not about sexual orientation it is about finding your true self in life and standing for what you are. It is about the sacrifices and work that you put in the relationships with the people you care about.

Good writing and very well constructed scenes make this movie easy to watch, and to live vicariously through these characters. To remember what it was like when you were at that odd place in live where everything is "messy".

The Half of It is certainly a beautiful story about love, friendship and longing. It is a very relatable story about the process of discovering love and what comes with it. The acting is splendid and writer/director Alice Wu is very assertive in both capacities.

The story follows Ellie Chu (Leah Lewis), a shy and introverted, straight "A" student, in her senior year, helping a friend, Paul, to capture the attention of the girl of his dreams, Aster. Initially, Ellie writes just one letter, but the story evolves into an exchange of text messages before their first date. During the journey, the characters discover the truth of the stress and challenges of courtship.

The film starts with a beautiful, artsy animation and excellent voice over work, guiding us into the mysteries of love at a very young age. The Half of It is a very well narrated story, keeping you intrigued, making you wanting to know more about the characters and how they will end up. The editing and music are very interconnected and they work in perfect harmony, turning into amazing storytelling.

I enjoyed the acting and the honesty of Leah Lewis' portrayal of a very timid, but determined girl. I love Paul naiveté and his struggle to communicate and show his emotions and how his innocence contrasts with Ellie's intelligence. Despite their differences they become friends, which is one of my favorite aspects of the film. I also love Collin Chou who plays Ellie's dad. He barely speaks English but he's really funny. He portrays a very loving and kind man and wants what's best for his daughter. Ellie's Dad loves classic films and, throughout the movie, there are several references to art in different disciplines like painting and poetry. This makes the film feel very grounded. "The Best Part," as Ellie's Dad refers when interrupted when watching his cinema classics, is when Ellie and Aster are in a secret lake and just talking. The scene itself is beautiful and the acting feels so natural. I love how this scene is shot and found it really relaxing.

The Half of It is not the typical high school movie, because in almost every high school movie there is a popular girl, a shy nerdy girl with lots of clichés and no substance. But in this movie the characters are real, current and deep.

The message of this film is "be the best version of you." Ellie used to be an artist and one of the things she learns is that "you can have a good painting, but to make it a great one you need to make a bold stroke." I think what she means by "bold stroke" is the best version that you can possibly be of yourself. Also we hear that "love is the journey we pursue with determination."

This film is wonderful! I could watch it a million times and still be entertained. I give The Half of It 5 out of 5 stars and recommended it for ages 12 to 18.

Reviewed by Zoe C., KIDS FIRST! Film Critics. For more reviews by youth, visit kidsfirst dot org.

This is a path to the understanding of what it means to love. That movie makes you think. It is well wrapped with tiny details that connects everything together. I must say there are a lot of crappy teenage highschool love movies on Netflix. But nothing like this one. I just wanted to relax and it made me emotional. I'm happy it did.

Just didn't get the last 10s. What's the secret meaning of it?

The Half of It started with most common storyline, a high school falling in love with a high school pretty girl. But eventually the story starts telling you the true meaning of love and how love is different for everyone. Till end you will start thinking what's is love for you. The film story is shown very sweetly and with 100% emotion which makes you sit till the end. The story tells us to not stop loving someone and not to change someone if they are different. It also questions that aren't we all different in a similar way. One time watch for a refreshing weekend start!!!

Not every gay person has to go through the "self-identification"stage, and I was impressed that the film didn't exaggerate at this point. Because this is just a story about...love...