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Five Feet Apart is schmaltzy but moving, says Rashid Irani
Two terminally ill teenagers fall in love within the confines of a hospital, in a predictable but bittersweet romance.
A bittersweet romantic drama revolving around two terminally ill teenagers, Five Feet Apart is more engrossing than recent young adult adaptations like The Fault in Our Stars. But that’s not saying much.
The title refers to the distance that patients suffering from contagious respiratory disorders must maintain from each other in order to prevent cross-infection. But of course the protagonists, finding themselves within five feet of each other, end up in love, decide they must throw caution to the winds, and embrace their mutual attraction. Set almost entirely within the confines of a hospital, the plot is predictably schmaltzy.
But there is palpable chemistry between the lead pair (Haley Lu Richardson is particularly affecting), and the wind-up succeeds in activating the tear ducts. If you like this sort of thing, check it out, and do keep those tissues handy.
