
As kids, my friends and I used to search for John Green’s movements, where the author seemed to have a lot of fun. What true fans of Margo Roth Spiegelman, Alaska Young, or just regular fans of Hazel and Augustus, would not squeal in delight upon learning that a screen adaptation is being made and rush to the cinemas to witness their beloved characters’ magnificent books come to life on the big screen? Special effects and moving images I believe are cool and I must say they are engaging, but, aren’t they a little overboard these days?
Is this portrait of John Green’s new book, or perhaps rather, its title ‘Turtles All the Way Down’ which appeared in Hannah Marks and jointly written by Elizabeth Berger and Isaac Aptaker who were also the writers of Love Simon Mark the End of John Green’s movies? Having long outgrown M. Green’s hands, I was ready for the most tough plot and careless screenplay I can imagine. Each “Turtles All the Way Down” seems to be an afterthought. Teenage girls would definitely love the movie as it is one of its target audiences and older fans may not like the movie but it still would not let them down.
Aza Isabela Merced deeply feels the loss of her father and resents her mother for being somewhat neglectful. Combined with a severe case of OCD, Aza restrains herself from caring due to how deeply compassion hurts her. Luckily for Aza, her friend Daisy Cree’s brashness helps her do just that. While rude, Daisy is ruthless and relentless, all the things Aza is not.
Daisy doesn’t let Aza do any of that, unlike Aza’s childhood friend Davis Felix Mallard Zaynova. When Aza was younger, she would attend toddler sleepover camps, and Davis Zaynova’s dislike for being there sobered Aza’s imagination of them. It’s intimidating and puzzling, something that would turn a sane person mad but for Aza, Davis was a star that helped her break her limits. Giving Aza the much-needed resolve of “growing up” and moving on. She has love, and this is Aza’s goal, however, it should be noted that this is not where she is located. And as her arm slowly rises, the butterflies grow, like children preparing for a theater play.
In “Turtles All the Way Down”, one of the problems is raised that is so pretty characteristic of adolescents, that just the moment almost makes one cut out: the problem of any psychological ailment.”
With Mark’s guidance and excellent sound design putting Aza’s disturbances into Aza’s blank canvas, the latter’s disturbances serve as the background of the film. To Aza or the rest of the cast, Aza still stands out. She does not wallow in self-pity and instead puts up a stunning performance as Merced. In her dialogues, Maxine addresses through this who her insecurity had been in the past. The insecurities of the audience turn out to be easy for Aza with the performance of the Cree. Yes, having obsessive-compulsive disorder or intrusive thoughts is pretty debilitating and she does deal with them on some level, however, these tend to not define her as a person. The amnesic and attention-deficit Aza moves across is interspersed with a lot of the Aza more peripheral taking us to the film’s humor and charm. It’s hard not to be relatable to those feelings, I see them hovering somewhere distant in the background while meekly present.
So, did this trio go out on a date, kiss, or get intimate in any way? Not to my knowledge. Instead, everyone’s favorite trio Aza, Daisy, and Toaster started talking about Applebee’s giving them free coupons while complaining about their love lives. Or when Aza’s car had a CD stuck that would only play Stankonia on repeat, it was like that part of the scene in one of the movies when all the characters are rapping to Outkast’s Ms. Jackson. The place has good music too, the bass-heavy songs of Tame Impala, Billie Eilish, and LCD Soundsystem play there.
Actually, up until the very end of Aza and Davis’s relationship and its reasons, there was nothing sweet about it. But I think the most valid one was the way Mallard embodied that character. It was always real it was so in stark contrast to the young cutesy Merced that entered the scene.
The memories shared with Aza and Daisy will always be cherished by everyone who witnessed it, even if nobody calms it. However, even though Aza and Daisy had hard experiences, it is a stark reality that no matter how twisted and hopeless love, longing, and sex become, they will always remain the best of friends and a best friend is always dependable highlights the best aspect of the film.
For the readers who follow the narrative closely, Turtles All the Way Down will have a familiar scribbled touch from the author. A comical and somewhat pleasing, Turtles All the Way Down easily and even humorously goes past every nasty thing. Turtles All the Way Down depicts the various experiences of a youth and also reminds the elders of it.
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