'The Half of It' allows us to think and question ourselves

'The Half of It' Neflix - Metroscene Mag

"Love is simply the name for the desire and pursuit of the whole."

The film opens with this quote from Plato. Slowly, the dark background is interrupted by moving dashes of gray until a new scene appears: a body with four arms, four legs, and two faces on a single head. We hear the voice of our main character Ellie Chu, softly narrating how we were split into two halves because the gods feared our wholeness. And then we spend our entire lifetimes in search of our other halves.

But this is high school. And Ellie has no time searching for her other half. Instead she uses her time to write essays for her classmates in exchange for money, watch old English shows with her Chinese father to help him speak English, and steal secret glances from the pretty Aster Flores, whom she liked in silence.

Suddenly Paul Munksy, an inarticulate football player, enters the frame. He seeks Ellie’s help to write a love letter, intending to give it to Aster. Ellie was reluctant at first but since she badly needed the money, she accepted. This is where the story develops.

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It's easy to find a bit of ourselves in every character: how we easily stutter and find words slipping away at the sight of people we adore, how we cope up with our own struggles, how we fall for the most unexpected people, and how we own the love we're willing to give with pride.

'The Half of It' dives into the deeper meaning of love. Now we can love ourselves and others through acceptance, and how it is a blessing rather than a product of sin.

The film does not only revolve about teenage romance but tackles greater struggles such as misconceptions on religion, homosexuality, communication, and friendship.

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Here we see how difficult it can be to verbalize and communicate our feelings. In one scene, Ellie's father falters in an attempt to speak English, while Paul struggles to sew his words together. A brief moment of silence was how they spoke the loudest.

All in all, 'The Half of It' is a revolutionary gem that allowed us to think and question ourselves. It's a film of half-worn jackets slumped lazily on one shoulder, and brutal honesties often half meant. Despite the subtle nods to the lack of wholeness in many scenes, it is a fulfilling experience that would leave you feeling whole.