Sofia Carson Works By Her Bucket Listing in This Fluffy Netflix Rom-Com

After getting her begin in Descendants, Sofia Carson has gone from a Disney star to a Netflix common. Ever since Really feel the Beat was launched in 2020, the actress has continued to additional her ties with the streaming service, main different productions like Purple Hearts and the holiday thriller, Carry-On. Her newest entry to the canon is The Life Listing, a touching adaptation of Lori Nelson Spielman‘s novel of the identical identify. In it, she performs Alex, a lady who’s seemingly caught in life and receives a wake-up name from her mom past the grave to pursue her goals.

This endearing premise, with a mom persevering with to examine in on her daughter posthumously, is the primary draw for Carson’s newest collaboration with Netflix. But, the movie additionally does not shrink back from threading into romance territory. A love triangle is interwoven with Alex’s journey to perform all of the objects on her bucket listing, including a dose of messiness to her path to self-discovery. Balancing romance and grief, The Life Listing proves to be the kind of feel-good fluff you’d anticipate it to be. Nonetheless, that does not imply you should not tag alongside.

What Is ‘The Life Listing’ About?

The movie begins with Alex on the brink of attend her sister-in-law’s child bathe. She is aware of that from the second she walks in, she’ll be bombarded with questions on why she stopped educating or what her boyfriend does for a residing, all of which she is not eager on responding to. The reality is, she has no drive to make plans or pursue private objectives anymore. Alex has settled down, not as a result of she has every thing she’s at all times needed, however as a result of she is detached in regards to the selections she’s been making. That’s till her mom, Elizabeth (performed by Connie Britton), passes away and leaves behind an uncommon request to ensure that her daughter to get her lower of the inheritance. Elizabeth made a sequence of recordings of herself earlier than she died, prompting Alex to revisit a life listing she wrote at 13, and watch a DVD each time she is ready to cross out an merchandise from stated listing.

Though the protagonist initially thinks that this may be a ridiculous thought, contemplating that she wrote it years in the past, Alex reluctantly offers in to her mom’s dying want. From attempting stand-up comedy to studying Moby Dick cowl to cowl with out falling asleep, the primary character takes this problem critically and appears ahead to each objective she’s in a position to accomplish to get one other likelihood to see her mom (even whether it is through DVD). Serving to her on this journey is Brad (Kyle Allen), the lawyer Elizabeth labored with within the final draft of her will. Though the 2 initially however heads, they develop nearer as Alex strives to tick off each merchandise on the listing. Quickly sufficient, she’s nearly executed. The one process remaining is to fall in love.

Connie Britton and Sofia Carson Are a Lovable Mom-Daughter Duo

Though The Life Listing has its flaws, Carson and Britton make for the movie’s finest onscreen partnership, though more often than not, they aren’t on display collectively. Apart from the start, the place the viewers catches a glimpse of how they interacted earlier than Elizabeth’s dying, Alex typically sees her mom via DVD recordings. To Britton’s credit score, she is ready to create a reference to each the viewer and Carson’s character by being tender and understanding, even within the slight cases that her face pops up on the TV. Equally to her portrayal of Tami in Friday Night Lights, her position on this Netflix unique requires that her presence be bigger than life, and that her look after Alex is real and relatable, one thing she does effortlessly.

Carson can also be charming as Alex. The character’s newfound urge to take dangers and observe her coronary heart is what drives the movie, and there’s something about her humorousness and down-to-earth character that makes for a lovable lead. Though the actress does not step away from what she’s been in a position to do prior to now on different tasks she’s been part of, that does not forestall her from being a charismatic performer in The Life Listing. You may’t assist however really feel for Alex as she tries to fix her damaged relationship together with her father, or tries to search out her real love. The inheritance is the least of her considerations, however fairly her choice to hearken to her mom’s recommendation and never take life with no consideration.

‘The Life Listing’s Romance Arc Is Cliché and Unconvincing

But, the movie’s predominant fault is its underdeveloped subplots. Adam Brooks is answerable for adapting and helming this Netflix unique, and he delivers some emotive cases between Alex and her household. But, relating to her romantic relationships, in addition to her return to the classroom, audiences are extra seemingly than to not be left dissatisfied. Though on the web page it’s simple to see why Carson’s character can be drawn to the rich and good-looking Garrett (Sebastian De Souza), or why she would type a platonic bond with Brad, the shortage of chemistry between Carson and her male counterparts retains viewers from not caring in regards to the clichés surrounding the love triangle. The movie additionally does not put quite a lot of thought into Alex and Ezra’s (Luca Padovan) hyperlink. When she goes again to educating, Ezra makes her job tough together with his rebellious angle at school. But, their student-teacher relationship isn’t given correct consideration.

Though the romantic parts aren’t as rewarding because the familial ties on the coronary heart of The Life Listing, the mission nonetheless has its deserves. From Carson’s fascinating depiction of Alex to Britton’s heat and motherly presence, there are components of this movie that will probably be gratifying for a viewer in search of one thing candy and emotional to tune into for an hour and a half. There will probably be moments the place you may wish to roll your eyes on the plot’s predictability, however there may also be cases during which you’re prone to effectively up. As Alex involves worth her life as an alternative of selecting consolation, the movie delivers a hopeful message that can lead you to surprise what goals you have been leaving on the again burner and what’s stopping you from making them come true.

The Life Listing involves Netflix on March 28.

The Life List

Sofia Carson makes her needs come true on this emotional but uneven Netflix unique.

Launch Date

March 28, 2025

Director

Adam Brooks

Writers

Adam Brooks

Producers

Hutch Parker, Kerry Orent, Liza Chasin

• 
• 

Execs & Cons

• Sofia Carson and Connie Britton are convincing mother-daughter duo.
• Britton’s efficiency, even when mediated via DVDs, connects with audiences on a private stage.
• Carson performs a lovable lead, although the actress is not engaging in something that she hasn’t executed earlier than.

• The romantic arc does not translate successfully from web page to display given the shortage of chemistry between Carson and her male counterparts.
• There is not as a lot of a deep dive into Alex’s return to classroom and her relationship with a problematic pupil.
• The plot’s clichés and predictability forestall the movie from having a long-lasting impression.