Five Feet Apart Movie Review

The opening scene of “Five Feet Apart” begins with Stella sitting on a bed with her friends, laughing and joking around. However, a few seconds later the camera panes out to reveal her in a hospital room, showing that this room is very much lived in. Shortly after her friends leave, she begins to vlog, and says, “Human touch, we need that touch from the one we love almost as much as we need air to breathe. I never understood that until I couldn’t have it. This is my life with cystic fibrosis.” This quote explains the basis of this movie and why it was important to showcase how people with CF really live.

Throughout the movie, the audience sees Stella taking multiple medications, going through multiple procedures, and always wearing a mask over her mouth. Soon, she meets and falls in love with Will, who also has CF. Yet, their love is forbidden because if she “catches” what Will has, she could die or lose her chance at receiving new lungs: all those with CF must stay at least six feet apart from each other.

But Stella decides to take that one foot back. She decides to take control of her life and live for herself and not for new lungs, and takes a chance at her relationship with Will. However, things quickly go south when Will must give Stella mouth-to-mouth when Stella falls through the ice and Will must save her. Because of this, Stella’s chance at new lungs are next-to-nothing. Nevertheless, she miraculously has not caught Will’s disease and can get new lungs, but this causes Will to leave her, realizing just how much damage he can cause Stella.

“I don’t want to see this movie because I feel like it just glamorizes another disease and doesn’t actually tell the full story of those who have CF or any other terminal disease,” said Fruita Monument junior Neveah Chesney. While this could be true, “Five Feet Apart” focuses more on the romance between Stella and Will while the disease is more of a backstory.

Furthermore, the movie does a poor job of setting up the plot, such as: not fully explaining why Stella’s parents are divorced, the plot of Will and Stella being together, and the ending leaves the audience grasping for loose ends, wishing to tie it all into a beautiful bow yet simply cannot.

“Five Feet Apart” is a must-see movie for those who love cheesy and cliche romance movies and for those who need a good cry! This movie is not for the weak hearted!