The Half of It (2020)

The Half of It feels like a rare teen romance that actually trusts teenagers to be complicated: funny in a dry, observant way, quietly aching, and unexpectedly wise about how words can both reveal and disguise who we are. Alice Wu turns a familiar “Cyrano” setup into something fresh and intimate, letting the story breathe in small-town hallways, late-night texts, and the kind of conversations that land like a secret you’ve been carrying alone. Leah Lewis is terrific as Ellie—wry, guarded, and deeply human—and the film’s real magic is how it treats friendship not as a subplot, but as the beating heart that makes every choice matter. If you’re looking for big melodrama or a candy-coated rom-com, this is gentler and more thoughtful than that, but if you want a coming-of-age story with genuine warmth and a smart, sincere pulse, it’s absolutely worth the ride.

The Half of It is clearly aiming for a gentler, smarter spin on the teen rom-com—more about longing, identity, and friendship than big punchline comedy or swoony fireworks. It’s sweet and thoughtfully acted, especially in the way it treats its characters as decent people trying (and failing) to communicate, but the pacing can feel languid and the story sometimes drifts like it’s afraid to fully commit to its sharpest ideas. If you want a fast, laugh-heavy romance with clear, satisfying beats, this may feel a bit “halfway there,” leaning on familiar tropes and a tidy wrap-up. If you’re in the mood for a quiet, bookish coming-of-age with warm vibes and low drama rather than high stakes, it’s an easy, sincere watch.