Review by J1 Reporter Sydney Schulze

If you love inspiring movies with a little bit of romance, you will love “The Life List.” “The Life List” is a new movie that was added to Netflix in 2025, starring Sofia Carson, Kyle Allen and Connie Britton. 

Alex, played by Sofia Carson, is faced with a tragic loss that changes the course of her life. Instead of inheriting a house or money, she gets a list. The list is accompanied with a DVD’s for every task. It is only when she completes a task that she can get the DVD from her loved one. A little too comfortable, the DVD’s are just what Alex needs to rediscover herself. Her journey includes everything from getting a tattoo, to connecting with her father, to finding love. 

This movie, although mostly a rom-com, also includes heartwarming family relationships. “The Life List” is perfect for a movie night with friends when you don’t want a light hearted romantic comedy. I like Sophia Carson, but when I saw that she was cast in this movie I knew it would be a little cheesy. Any rom-com has its hits, and its misses but “The Life List” has quite a few cringey moments. 

The family scenes seem to flow naturally, being filled with humor and classic sibling relationships. The romance scenes, however, are extremely predictable and awkward. The whole movie I was just wondering “what is this girl thinking?” 

Kyle Allen, who plays Brad, has been in “West Side Story,” “American Horror Story: Apocalypse,” and more, but this was not the right fit for him. He seemed extremely awkward and unnatural. 

The movie is actually adapted from the novel, The Life List, by Lori Spielman but was written and directed by Adam Brooks. The movie setting was seamless, as it was filmed in multiple popular New York cities, but mostly took place in Brooklyn and New York City. 

Overall reception of “The Life List” varies. Rotten Tomatoes rates is a 45% but the movie took Netflix’s spot as No. 1 movie for three consecutive weeks after its release. Personally, I would rate the movie a 7/10. The movie is good, for what it is. I would never expect a Netflix rom-com starring Sophia Carson to break film boundaries. 

The movie is supposed to be funny, lighthearted and a little awkward. The plot is good; I just wish that the love story was less predictable. Surprisingly, it still contains a good lesson about self discovery and the ability to lean on your family and friends during hard times.