The Never List Explained

The Never List
Starring:
Music:Jordan Coffing
Cinematography:Janine Sides
Studio:Never List Productions
Director:Michelle Mower
Producer:Anna Margarita Albelo
Distributor:1091 Pictures
Runtime:102 minutes
Country:United States
Language:English

The Never List is a 2020 American coming-of-age drama film directed by Michelle Mower, starring Fivel Stewart, Keiko Agena, Andrew Kai, Anna Grace Barlow, Ryan Cargill, Brenna D'Amico and Jonathan Bennett.

Cast

Release

The film was released in select theatres on 11 December 2020.[1]

Plot

16-year old Eva (Fivel Stewart), a young overachiever running for student class president, planning a school dance, and dreaming of becoming a comic book artist and her best friend Liz (Brenna D'Amico) have cosplayed their alter egos "Vicky" and "Veronica" since elementary school as a way to release the pressure. Performing highly questionable acts that the real Eva and Liz would never do, documented in their "The Never List". After the sudden death of Liz, Eva decides to honor heir friends memories by completing their secret list of acts they said they would never do. Initially this leads Eva down a road of romance, but at she progresses, her actions begin to threaten her carefully planned life and future.[2]

Reception

Dan Lybarger of the Arkansas Democrat-Gazette wrote that the film's acknowledgement that the "chemical recreation" the characters engage in "sometimes has catastrophic consequences in the real world" keeps the film from becoming a "shallow diversion".[3]

Cary Darling of the Houston Chronicle rated the film 3 stars out of 5 and wrote that "where the film ultimately goes may not be totally unexpected but getting there is an engaging trip."[4]

Barbara Shulgasser-Parker of Common Sense Media rated the film 2 stars out of 5 and wrote that while Stewart is "compelling", she "cannot inject sense into the insensible."[5]

Liam Trump of Film Threat gave the film a score of 2/10 and wrote that the film suffers from a "poor" screenplay and "tepid" direction, and that "any of the potential drawn up by the premise is drowned out by how weak the execution winds up being."[6]

Notes and References

  1. Web site: Lafayette band LVVRS featured in independent rom-com 'The Never List'. Dodge. Victoria. 11 December 2020. The Daily Advertiser. 25 November 2022.
  2. Web site: The Never List. rottentomatoes.com. 17 April 2023.
  3. Web site: 'The Never List'. Lybarger. Dan. 11 December 2020. Arkansas Democrat-Gazette. 25 November 2022.
  4. Web site: Houston filmmaker's engaging 'Never List' is sweetly serious. Darling. Cary. 9 December 2020. Houston Chronicle. 25 November 2022.
  5. Web site: The Never List. Shulgasser-Parker. Barbara. Common Sense Media. 25 November 2022.
  6. Web site: The Never List. Trump. Liam. 27 March 2021. Film Threat. 25 November 2022.