The Half of It (2020)
90%RT Audience Score: 81%
Awards & Nominations: 3 wins & 10 nominations
For viewers in search of an uncommonly smart, tender, and funny coming-of-age story, The Half of It has everything.
The Half of It is like a warm hug on a rainy day – it’s comforting, sweet, and just what you need to lift your spirits. Sure, it’s not reinventing the wheel with its Cyrano de Bergerac retelling, but it’s the characters that make this movie shine. Ellie is a refreshing protagonist who isn’t afraid to be herself, and her friendship with Paul is heartwarming and genuine. Plus, the movie has some great insights on love and self-acceptance that will leave you feeling all warm and fuzzy inside. So grab some popcorn, snuggle up on the couch, and get ready for a delightful coming-of-age rom-com.
Production Company(ies)
Les Films, du Cru Film4 Orange Studio
Distributor
NA
Release Type
Streaming, Streaming (Netflix)
Filming Location(s)
MPAA / Certificate
Rated PG-13 for brief language and teen drinking
Year of Release
2020
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Color:Color
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Sound mix:Dolby Digital
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Aspect ratio:2.35 : 1
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Runtime:NA
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Language(s):
-
Country of origin:United States
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Release date:Release Date (Streaming): May 2, 2020
Genre(s)
Lgbtq+
Keyword(s)
starring Leah Lewis, Daniel Diemer, Alexxis Lemire, Enrique Murciano, Becky Ann Baker, Catherine Curtin, directed by Alice Wu, written by Alice Wu, LGBTQ+, coming-of-age, romance, Cyrano de Bergerac, high school, outsider, self-acceptance, Netflix, PG-13, box office, budget, reviewed by Drew Gregory, Christina Newland, Karen Han, Moira MacDonald, Becca James, Perri Nemiroff, Ben Turner, Robin Holabird, Emily Wheeler, Sean Price, Alex Bentley, Nicole Ackman, Blair Breard, Anthony Bregman, produced by Alice Wu
Worldwide gross: NA
Worldwide gross (inflation-adjusted): NA
Worldwide gross ranking (inflation-adjusted): NA
Worldwide tickets sold (est.): NA
US/Canada gross: NA
US/Canada gross (inflation-adjusted): NA
US/Canada gross ranking (inflation-adjusted): NA
US/Canada opening weekend:
US/Canada opening weekend (inflation-adjusted): NA
US/Canada opening weekend ranking (inflation-adjusted): NA
Budget and Earnings Details
Production budget (est.): NA
Production budget (inflation-adjusted): NA
Production budget ranking: NA
Marketing and distribution budget (inflation-adjusted est.): NA
Box office net earnings to date (inflation-adjusted est.): NA
ROI to date (est.): NA
ROI ranking: NA
Daniel Diemer – Paul Munsky
Alexxis Lemire – Aster Flores
Enrique Murciano – Deacon Flores
Becky Ann Baker – Mrs. Geselschap
Catherine Curtin – Colleen Munsky
Director(s)
Alice Wu
Writer(s)
Alice Wu
Producer(s)
Blair Breard, Anthony Bregman, Alice Wu
Film Festivals
Awards & Nominations
3 wins & 10 nominations
Academy Awards
All Critics (102) | Top Critics (33) | Fresh (99) | Rotten (3)
Funny and charming and lovely and real.
September 10, 2021
Drew Gregory
Autostraddle
TOP CRITIC
The Half Of It is a likeable if not especially memorable entry into the teen romantic-comedy genre – but it gains most of its merit through its sensitive depiction of outsiderdom and self-acceptance.
February 20, 2021 | Rating: 3/5
Christina Newland
Empire Magazine
TOP CRITIC
The idea of a teenage version of Cyrano de Bergerac seems to lend itself to pure romantic fluff, but Wu imbues it with incredible depth and consideration.
February 20, 2021
Karen Han
Polygon
TOP CRITIC
It’s a wistful charmer.
February 20, 2021
Moira MacDonald
Seattle Times
TOP CRITIC
The Half of It might feel tame in comparison, but it is just as genuine.
December 30, 2020
Becca James
Chicago Reader
TOP CRITIC
What does finding “the one” even mean? It’s a big question with a multitude of answers and Alice Wu’s examination of just that is powerful enough to encourage one to make a bold step for the better, no matter their definition of “the one.”
May 14, 2020 | Rating: B+
Perri Nemiroff
Collider
TOP CRITIC
Narratively this doesn’t reinvent the wheel with this umpteenth retelling of the Cyrano de Bergerac story, but this is also absolutely one of the strongest teen movies released in recent years.
September 1, 2021 | Rating: 4/5
Ben Turner
The Pink Lens
The update gains substance when attraction comes from the duo’s shared fascination with arts, culture, and expression. These new dynamics work cleverly, making for bright and insightful entertainment.
July 19, 2021
Robin Holabird
KUNR (Reno, NV)
The Half of It clips along beautifully, giving you all the sweet charm of your favorite rom-coms while also giving you some thoughtful meditation on what love is.
February 21, 2021
Emily Wheeler
Emily Wheeler Movie Ops
Netflix has slowly built up a nice library of coming of age rom-coms. The Half of It is mostly in the middle-tier of those, but Ellie is the kind of protagonist we don’t see often enough.
February 20, 2021
Sean Price
The Spool
The Half of It has a lot going on, but it manages to keep all of it flowing in a coherent and fun manner. With a fantastic concept, it features more than a few surprises along the way, easily elevating it way above your typical high school movie.
February 17, 2021
Alex Bentley
CultureMap
[It’s] a fairly down-to-earth portrayal of high school, from the fashion to the clever inclusion of social media which defines the modern-day teenage experience.
February 1, 2021 | Rating: 7/10
Nicole Ackman
Next Best Picture…
Plot
A shy, introverted, Chinese-American, straight-A student finds herself helping the school jock woo the girl they both secretly love. In the process, each teaches the other about the nature of love as they find connection in the most unlikely of places.
Trivia
Goofs / Tidbits
Leah Lewis, who plays the lead character Ellie Chu, is also a singer and has released her own music.
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