Everything, Everything 2017

     This film is based on a young adult novel by Nicola Yoon published in 2015. Madeline Whittier is 17 years old and she has a rare disease called severe combined immunodeficiency.  This is a genetic disorder that causes the immune system to fail to develop.  She needs to stay inside 24/7 in filtered air and her days have a lot of sameness.  Her life is books, her mom and her nurse Carla.  One day, a moving truck pulls up next door.  Madeline doesn’t know this will change her life.  She sees Olly Bright from her window and he is her new neighbor.  They begin to get to know each other by emails, texts and cell phone calls.  Maddy starts to think that the life she has now is not really living?

     I thought this movie was interesting and I had not heard of the medical name for her condition.  I have read about young people with these diseases and in the film Bubble Boy of 2001 he is unable to leave his home because of immune system problems.  He has the same disease.  Madeline has been handling her isolation very well.  She previously interacted only with her mother and her nurse.  Others with this disease have died younger than Maddy but her mother is a doctor and this may have helped her live longer.  Maddy and Olly have good chemistry together.  I was surprised about the ending and I didn’t see it coming?  3 ½* (I liked this movie)

96 min, Drama directed by Stella Meghie with Amandla Stenberg, Nick Robinson, Anika Noni Rose, Ana de la Reguera, Taylor Hickson, Danube Hermosillo, Dan Payne, Fiona Loewi, Sage Brocklebank, Peter Benson, Robert Lawrenson.

Note:  Imdb 6.4 out of 10, 47% critic 62% audience on Rotten Tomatoes, Amazon 4.1* out of 5* with 167 reviews, Roger Ebert 2*, Metacritic 52 out of 100 with 26 critics 4.8 out of 10 with 37 reviews, plugged’n 2 ½* out of 5*, The Guardian 2* out of 5* review by Cath Clarke.

Special Note:  Filmed in Jalisco and Nayarit, Mexico; Vancouver, British Columbia, Canada.  There are some changes in this film from the book.  Maddy’s mother says Olly needs a haircut but in the book he has a shaved head.  Olly’s life at home has a larger role in the book.   Text messages are sent and calls made in the film but only IM and email in the book.  Olly has brown eyes and a light complexion but in the book he has ocean blue eyes and an olive complexion.