All My Life (2020) Review
- Daniel O'Connor
- Oct 25, 2020
- 3 min read
Based on the moving true story of Solomon Chau (Glee's Harry Shum Jr.) and Jennifer Carter (Happy Death Day's Jessica Rothe) - the couple's wedding plans were disrupted when budding chef Sol was diagnosed with liver Cancer - Marc Meyers' (My Friend Dahmer) All My Life honours, without pity, the couple's pure, loving and courageous relationship, and it is beating with spine-tingling moments.
"purposefully cookie-cutter"
Although it undoubtedly will please fans of Nicholas Sparks' manipulative tear-jerkers, All My Life should not be mistaken for one of those soppy and generic romantic-dramas. In fact, this film gets away with being purposefully cookie-cutter. In the opening monologue Jen explains that, despite living for - on average - 27,375 days, we only remember the most beautiful and tragic moments. The rest of our time is blurred and indistinguishable. Thus, it makes perfect sense that Todd Rosenberg's script only details the more significant moment's of Sol and Jen's story. That, or I've just coaxed myself into excusing his script's rapid pace and lack of nuance.
This creative choice - or oversight - becomes very clear when the film zooms from the couples' meet-cute and initial dates to their first Thanksgiving together, and then to Sol's show-stopping flashmob proposal all in the first act. While this quickly builds their relationship and smartly introduces their support circle of family and friends, it also reflects Jen's opening words as these moments are often sentimental in most relationships.
By telling this love story at such a swift pace, All My Life plays like a highlight reel of Sol and Jen's relationship. Prepare to swoon when Sol greets Jen with an umbrella in the pouring rain, laugh as the couple perform their synchronised toothbrushing dance routine and squeal (with excitement) when fate unites Jen with her dream wedding dress. Commendably, Rosenberg's script opts to focus on these happier memories and steers away from a dramatised, depressing and disrespectful depiction of Sol's deterioration - an unusual feat for this overly gloomy sub-genre.
All the same, it would be insensitive to completely gloss over Sol's battle with Cancer and, rest-assured, Rosenberg also portrays the painful lows with delicacy and care. For example. while they anxiously wait for Sol's initial examination results, the couple toy with the idea of getting a dog should they receive bad news. Fortunately Sol's results are clear and this proves unnecessary. However, this later packs a heart-wrenching punch when Jen returns home to an adorable Beagle and we - Jen and the audience - remember what this means. Furthermore, in a rare nuanced scene, both Sol and Jen vulnerably express their fears of the future. Sol harshly labels Jen his "widow in white" as the couple clash over their fast-approaching wedding day. Following some hard-hitting dialogue about Sol's internal struggles, Jen fiercely reminds him that "I am not your widow, I am your bride" - a powerful closing line that illustrates Jen's heartbreak as well as her valiance. Finally, Meyers respectfully skips over Sol's passing - saving our tears for their real-life wedding footage - and instead, a peppy Rothe reads Sol's eulogy where the audience is encouraged to live with hope, spontaneity and strength. This leaves little time for pity and shrewdly motivates us to study the silver linings of their story.
"crowd-pleasing"
Similarly to last month's The Broken Hearts Gallery, All My Life celebrates not just the importance of collecting great life-long memories, but the unrecognised kindness of the people in our local communities. After Sol's diagnosis puts their wedding plans in the lurch, Sol and Jen's thoughtful friends and family secretly reschedule their special day, and with the generous help of the do-gooders of America, they are able to raise $20,000 to fund it. Add in Keala Settle's (The Greatest Showman) bubbly barista and Ever Carradine's beneficent chef, and Sol and Jen are wrapped in a warm blanket of support - even flaky friend Kyle (Jon Rudnitsky), who is already struggling with grief - a theme that could have been explored more - shows up in the end. If this wasn't already a crowd-pleasing (and funded) story, it definitely is now!
Lastly, even though these roles do challenge Shum and Rothe, they both deliver sound, grounded performances and have good on-screen chemistry. Rothe's colourful wardrobe pops too. It is refreshing to see both actors diversify their portfolio, and I just hope that their limited star power doesn't detract from the film's success. It shouldn't.
All My Life is out now in UK cinemas.
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