The adaptation of Young Adult fiction novels into movies often seems to produce stories that are variations on the same themes. Teenagers must overcome adversity to survive in a dystopian future, or teenagers must overcome adversity to be with their true love. This being the case, it falls to the talent involved in the adaptation process to elevate the film above and beyond all the projects that went before. It’s the job of these artists – the cast and the crew – to find something new in the material and bring it to the screen. The latest contender for that prize is Everything, Everything.
Based on the 2015 debut novel of the same name by Nicola Yoon, the story centres on 18-year-old Madeline Whittier, who lives with Severe Combined Immunodeficiency – which means she’s confined to her house in Los Angeles and sees only her mother and her nurse. One day, a young man named Olly moves in to the neighbouring property and as she watches the family from her window, Maddy notes that Olly’s father is abusive. Soon, she begins to communicate with Olly online, and through the window. The two fall in love and, in defiance of her mother, Maddy runs away with Olly. Of course, such drastic action precipitates seismic changes in both their lives.
When the source novel was released, readers fell in love with the attention to detail in the story – a feature that allowed a glimpse into the life of a young woman seeking to expand her horizons while trapped in a relatively tiny space. The latest trailer for Everything, Everything gives some indication that the filmmakers behind the project have worked hard to translate that detail from the page to the screen, with well-paced characterization and beautiful framing. The proof will be in the finished product, however, which is now set to be released on May 19th.
