Review: Another romantic comedy on Netflix; “The Half of It”
By: Jonathan Giovanazzi
Director Alice Wu defines love as a rollercoaster of positive and negative feelings; a unique experience where one undergoes pain and hardships in order to truly understand what true love is. Wu’s feature “The Half of It,” a coming-of-age comedy drama film on Netflix, tells the viewer exactly what it's about through an introductory animation and then explores love and comedy tremendously. The story surpassed all “rom-com” stereotypes.
The film was shot along the Hudson River in New York, but is set in the Pacific seaside town of “Squahamish,” a fictional and movie-esque styled town that many could see themselves living in. It is here where Wu’s characters tell a story through their emotions, tones, and costumes. There is a real sense that the characters and town they reside in extend beyond what is seen through the camera’s frame.
The main character is Ellie Chu, a high school student in the town, played by the exceptional Leah Lewis. Ellie is an introvert, the quiet of the quiet. She spends her time caring for her aging father and working as the town’s station master who controls the locomotive that passes through twice each day.
Ellie also makes money writing essays and term-papers for her snobby classmates with the full knowledge that her teacher would rather read her work instead of the rubbish she usually sees from her students. In the movie, she is seen consistently pushing Ellie to look for a bigger and brighter adult life. The English teacher, Mrs. Geselchap, played by Becky Ann Baker, must have a real-life counterpart because she is thanked in the credits.
Ellie’s entrepreneurship attracts the attention of Paul Munsky (Daniel Diemer), a prototypical, dumb jock gifted who is the second-string tight end on a football team that hasn’t scored in 15 years, an artisanal sausage-maker and the film’s emotional savant. Diemer absolutely embodies this role.
Paul has a major crush on Aster Flores (Alexxis Lemire), the artistic daughter of a deacon, and asks Ellie to pen a love letter, which she initially declines to do, in part because Aster is also the object of her own unexpressed longing. Money troubles, however, force Ellie into a woman in the middle type role and soon she is creating notes with Aster.
Aside from introducing Ellie and balancing love with suspense and comedy, Wu effortlessly incorporates music creatively throughout her work. She used quite a few tracks from contemporary artists such as the Scud Mountain Boys and the Ruen Brothers. In addition, she included very calming, romantically inspired music from John Denver. Each song choice is too perfect for the time it's played.
Overall, “The Half of It” is about the multiple layers of love, with romance being just one layer. One must not forget about pain, family, acceptance and the ability to fall off of one’s path. Wu brilliantly explains such an idea and brought another gem to Netflix.