The following review contains spoilers for the entirety of Apple TV+’s All of You
Because many viewers might wonder, it feels necessary to point out that All of You isn’t a romance with the type of happy ending that’s generally expected with the genre. Instead, it’s a thoughtfully poignant love story that centers around complex characters and their equally complicated—deeply human—choices. More than anything, the writing is so raw and so genuinely funny at times that even as it’s heartbreaking, every part of it works to explore the idea of soulmates, friendships, and the various relationships people hold in their lifetimes. The film itself isn’t some three-hour epic, but it still carefully delivers an admirably prolonged showcase of how time passes and how some feelings only ever evolve, never once dulling, no matter how people change.
The film’s glowing strength comes from the fact that, from start to finish, William Bridges and Brett Goldstein’s screenplay feels believable. Every sharp quip and every declaration sticks the landing because it’s honest and inherently vulnerable, placing characters in the driver’s seat the entire time.
Brett Goldstein and Imogen Poots make an especially solid team as Simon and Laura go from best friends to secret lovers in an ongoing affair. In more ways than one, they aren’t an easy couple to root for. It’s hard to condone adultery in general, but it’s even harder to do so when the people getting hurt in the process aren’t terrible. And that’s a large part of the reason why the emotions in All of You are so bittersweet.
The writing could’ve made Laura’s husband, Lukas (Steven Cree), a bad person by default. It certainly would’ve made it a bit easier to understand the character actions, but rather, he’s a genuinely good guy, which makes the choices that much more riveting to question. Can someone truly love more than one person? What is a soulmate at the end of the day, and does finding one truly equate to finding an all-encompassing love? Because really, there is no answer, and the movie does an effective job of exploring all avenues in a way that underscores how complicated human beings truly are when it comes to all sorts of relationships.
Love is too big an emotion to expect universal outcomes when it looks different for all of us. So while fans might root for the best friends to stay lovers and choose each other, it’s also surprisingly easy to understand that there are indeed parts of Laura that genuinely love both men in different ways. It’s easy to understand why she wobbles with her choices, even if we want to shake her for not choosing Simon.
We’re in a fascinating space with films right now where we’re getting alternating perspectives on the love triangle trope. We saw it in Challengers last year, Materialists earlier this year, and now it’s happening with All of You. For a generally predictable trope, these three films manage to dig into the root of what makes it nuanced and bring out perspectives that touch on humanity with captivating authenticity. It’s what makes the entirety of the story work, all while the performances gorgeously layer and break down the character emotions in a stunning manner.
All of You is now streaming on Apple TV+.
First Featured Image Credit: ©Apple TV+