If you are on the entertainment and movie side of the Internet, then you’ve probably heard about the new Netflix romantic comedy movie The Life List. When I first heard about this movie coming to Netflix in March, I knew that the title rang a bell. I immediately went to watch the trailer, and I knew the story was familiar—as a few years ago, I actually read the book this movie was based on.
This was actually one of my favourite books. It wasn’t gaining a lot of popularity on BookTube or Bookstagram a few years ago, so I never really expected it to be turned into a movie. I was so excited to see if the movie would exceed my expectations. So here is a spoiler-free movie review from someone who actually read the book as well.
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The Book – Depth and Emotional Resonance
In the book, we follow Brett Bohlinger’s journey of self-discovery and grief. After the unexpected death of her mother, Brett discovers that instead of inheriting her share of the family fortune right away, she must first complete a list of life goals she wrote as a teenager. Some of the goals seem completely out of reach—like becoming a teacher, owning a horse, or having a baby. At first, Brett is resistant, especially because these goals no longer align with the life she has built for herself. But as she slowly starts ticking off the items, she begins to rediscover who she really is and what truly brings her joy.
The Life List is the book I read during lockdown. It was the book that shed some light on very challenging times. As soon as I started reading it, I could tell this book would become one of my absolute favourites. The story is emotional yet interesting and fun. This was another page-turning book. It made me laugh out loud but also cry and empathize with the characters.
The novel touches on important social issues that many people face, like grief, identity, pressure to follow societal norms, and fear of change. It makes you reflect on your own life and how we often take it for granted when in fact, we should be grateful for it. This was also the first book I picked up after the longest reading slump ever, so if you’re experiencing a reading slump, I really recommend giving this one a try.
Section 2: The Movie – Visual Storytelling and Modern Appeal
In the Netflix movie, we follow Alex Rose, played by the talented Sofia Carson. As I expected, The Life List is a nice watch—warm, well-paced, and not overly cringe. It captures the essence of a feel-good romantic comedy while still delivering meaningful moments. I enjoyed the way the message came through so clearly: pain and loss are part of life, but we have a choice—do we stay stuck in suffering, or do we find the courage to live fully?
The movie is beautifully shot, with charming backdrops and that comforting, polished Netflix rom-com aesthetic. Sofia Carson does a great job portraying a woman who’s trying to piece her life back together after her mother’s death. The list she receives sends her on a journey that’s both emotional and playful, as she reconnects with her younger self and opens herself up to new possibilities. While the movie takes some creative liberties with the story, it still carries the core theme of rediscovering who you are when life doesn’t go as planned.
The portrayal of the mother-daughter relationship was especially well done and not overexaggerated. It shows how grief can create distance but also bring people back together without sugarcoating the process. I also really liked how the film included lighthearted moments that didn’t feel forced—they added just enough humor to balance the emotional depth.
It's the kind of movie that makes you pause—not because it’s the best movie you will see in your life but because it reminds you of things you already knew but maybe as life got more complicated, we forgot. Like how helping others can also heal something in you and how dreams don’t have to be left behind just because we grew up.
Comparative Analysis – Book vs. Movie
If you read the book and expected the movie to follow it from the first page, you will be disappointed. Although the movie is based on the book, there are a lot of differences. You might think the differences are minimal, but I would argue otherwise—as even the list was changed to make it more suitable for a movie adaptation.
If you just watched the movie and don’t know much about the book, then I really think you will like it. The movie is shot in a very entertaining but also self-reflective way. However, the book brings much deeper emotions, as it’s easier to develop characters more in a book.
I usually prefer books over movie adaptations, but here I must say that because the movie changed so much, it made it feel like a parallel universe to the book. I could recognize parts from the book, but this time, the main character didn’t take the same life path as in the original story.
Audience Reception and Critiques
From what I’ve seen online, the movie received a lot of positive feedback. I also read that the part of the movie where the main character goes through four questions to help her determine if her current partner is the love of her life made a lot of real couples break up.
Personal Reflection and Recommendation
I really enjoyed watching this movie. As a romantic comedy fan, I felt like modern movies just lacked something, and I couldn’t find a recent rom-com that I actually enjoyed watching and would rewatch. The Life List exceeded all of my expectations.
I do think that if you recently read the book, you might find that the movie changed too much of the plot—but I would recommend watching it as a spin-off, where our main character simply decided to take a different turn in life.
Have you read The Life List or watched the Netflix movie? Which version spoke to you more—and why?
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