User Reviews

I'll start by saying I'm a fan of John Green. I've read most of his books following the popularity of Fault In Our Stars and have enjoyed the movie adaptations. I can remember reading this book and not loving it - Likely in comparison to some of his others. But for what is maybe not his strongest story, this movie is a really good adaptation. I think it captures the character of Aza really well, and then changes made to the storyline help move the film along for the better. I think the young cast have done a great job, and whilst this isn't the type of movie that will win any awards, all in all it's a very solid film.

I'm honestly such a harsh reviewer when it comes to book to movie adaptations but I thought this was really good. Loved literally the whole cast too, the performances were great :) I do t super understand the 6/10 average rating for this, and I went into assuming that would be accurate. Love the John Green book and read it in high school, I thought this translated be try well narratively even given the limitations of the screen. I also just want to point out (and this is true to the book as well) how really good of a depiction of OCD this is. I don't think there are many very thoughtful depictions of the disorder.

Turtles all the way down is another fantastic John Green book come to life. Isabella Merced gives a great performance to bring Aza's character from the pages to the screen. OCD is a condition many people still either have no full knowledge of or understanding of. Is the film perfect no, not many are. But this film is great at making you both feel good and make you understand more about those who suffer from OCD. There are some parts of the film you'd wish were slower and detailed. However it doesn't hurt it too much. I really did enjoy this a lot take the time 1hr 50 minutes or so and watch it!!!

Honestly I don't actually know how to feel about this film, on one hand I definitely don't believe that this is something that was meant to be targeted towards me as my girlfriend seemed to enjoy it far more than I did, but on the other I feel like it just didn't actually have much of anything going on throughout its entire runtime. Although; if there's one thing positive I can easily say about this movie is that despite it being nearly two hours long it flies by super fast and we reached the ending way before I ever even thought we were close to it. I want to like it because I do see what there is to like it but I just don't really think it clicked with me the same way it could and seems to have clicked with a lot of other people.

Probably my favorite part about the movie isn't even the movie itself but it's source material, I personally have not read the book that this movie is based on although my girlfriend claims she has, but just the fact that it was written by the amazing John Green is more than enough for me to like it just a tiny little bit. Pretty much everything that guy has touched has been at the very least good and I think this is another example of that, but I am not entirely sure if this adaptation even lives up to the book or not so it might be horrible in comparison. Yet if the book is on the same level of the film but I do expect it to be a fairly decent read but not anything spectacular.

I thought the acting here was pretty good for one, Isabela Merced is amazing as the lead role here and she does a great job at portraying the intense amount of anxiety that her character feels and both the way it looks on the outside and the way it sounds inside her own head... cannot wait to see what she does in "Alien Romulus" which is in fact my most anticipated role and if she brings this level of emotion to that movie her performance there is gonna be excellent as well. However; her co stars are pretty good in this movie as well, most notably Felix Mallard who plays Davis the primary love interest, and who also seems to be the most popular due to his role in the Netflix show "Ginny and Georgie" which I kind of know but have never actually watched - and also the other main side character of the film Daisy, played by Cree Cicchino who hilariously writes "Star Wars" fan-fiction and that's the only interesting thing about her entire character.

Other than the performances by the leading cast and the fact that this is based on a book by a guy that I like I don't really have much else to talk about here as it was kind of boring? Don't get me wrong the story here has some really sweet and endearing moments with the characters and especially towards the end it all comes together in a pretty adorable way but for the large majority of this I just didn't exactly care all that much? That's not a fault to the movie or it's source material I don't think but I personally just didn't find it super interesting whenever it was just about this girl being a mega germaphobe, but when it got deeper into the emotion I can say I was pretty into it all. Some really sad moments in here that actually made me tear up a little bit, but also some really cute moments that were surprisingly uplifting. I also thought that the direction here from Hannah Marks was pretty great, nothing to rave about but it was perfect for the tone of this movie and really felt right at home for everything that went on, plus there were actually some super impressive shots at times.

Turtles all the way down is the exact type of movie I believe you would expect it to be just by looking at, it's a really cheesy dumb movie at times filled with a whole ton of emotion and character depth that is very intriguing and incredibly well acted. This is absolutely someone's type of thing but for me personally I just didn't exactly love, I don't dislike it at all but I just kind of appreciated what it had and liked it a bit but not to any greater extent. It's got some really sweet things and some really depressing things and is for sure a roller coaster, and I definitely recommend it if a teen romance/drama film appeals to your tastes. I personally just didn't love it all that much, but I did wholeheartedly love it's soundtrack as it was impeccable, I mean they literally played "The Less I Know The Better" by Tame Impala so what more could I want from the film?!

It has a really silly name drop though that I don't think I entirely understand either but I have a feeling it's really moving and stuff.

This is a John Green movie from his book where the main character has OCD, which reflects the author's own struggles. The OCD parts were great, they were well acted and did a great job of having you understand what it's like to live with OCD. I could confirm this was the case during the movie by merely looking over at my girlfriend who has severe OCD, and seeing her crying during pretty much every OCD scene because she hadn't seen such an accurate representation before and felt seen. The rest of movie was unfortunately aggressively mid at best. 6/10, with it only being that high because the lead actress nailed the OCD moments and it's clearly huge for people with OCD to see a movie about it front and center.

The searching for a lost rich billionaire was completely unnecessary and added nothing. No happy ending which is typical of John Green, and no resolution for OCD just him being like lol every days a battle.

So yeah, extremely mid. The best friend was fun. The "mustard" scene was great as well.

I'd like to preface this by saying that my review is probably biased because I myself have OCD as well. The movie made me very emotional. I think I cried like 10 times because of the way I related so much to Aza during her bad moments. I have never felt so seen or heard while watching a movie. It is a truly authentic and respectful representation of someone who has OCD. We need more of this. I will say it is probably a movie better suited/relatable to teens in some ways, but this IS a YA book, so the cheesiness is acceptable haha. I personally think the cheesiness is a good thing in this. The acting was great, Isabel did a great job as Aza. Thought provoking, and I love that it doesn't aim to solve Ada's issues or make her being able to have a romantic partner the most important thing, but instead focused on helping her see that she can still live a good life despite it all, which is the true win when you have OCD. Not only that, but that she DESERVES a good life. Loved it so much.

I really liked this movie, till it reached midway. And then it was performance and story "all the way down". If you've read the book, this movie is not as great, and considering I rated the book a 3/5 due to high amount of repetition of things, the movie is more bearable.

So hear me out, the movie is good, the acting is good. The problem is the way they implemented the plot, which was an attempt to cover everything, but poorly. The entire plotline revolving around Davis's dad could be explored way more, but it wasn't which made it just a very poorly touched part, which people who've not read the book might not even understand well.

Now let's get upon my problem with the ending, I really wanted it to not end in a stereotypical way. If they did attempt to try and touch upon an issue such as OCD, maybe I would have liked a little bit more bold end, but what can a person expect!

Overall, decent watch.

I really hoped this adaptation wouldn't fall flat like Paper Towns (which was sad because it is my favorite of all John Green books).

Well, it didn't.

Most of what is important in the book is in this movie. I saw someone say it was disproportionately focused on the Picketts, but I totally don't agree.

The movie played out exactly as it should and better. I especially liked how it didn't give a happy, wrapped-up ending to a mental problem that probably sticks with you for life. It was every bit as relatable (to those who relate), sad, happy, and worth it as the book.

I see how those who have never read the book or don't really know John Green as someone other than Hank Green's brother or the guy from Crash Course might see this as falling flat. But for those who read it, this movie is a win for us.

Despite the film not staggering our eyes with extraordinarily amazing cinematography or oscar-worthy acting performances, it manages to showcase passable performances and some not half-bad shots.

Unfortunately the movie itself struggles to engage its audience due to a lackluster plot. It fails to deliver a compelling story, leaving many unanswered questions lingering.

What stood out for me was the disproportionate focus on Davis and his family. It gives the impression of inflated importance, detracting from the broader narrative.

Also I hated the ending.

Overall the movie is a mediocre effort that may entertain momentarily, but ultimately fails to leave a lasting impression.

Beautifully filmed smart movie adorned with people great to look at that does a masterful job of explaining what goes on inside the head of a person with obsessive thoughts.

There have been a few other movies or TV shows that have examined 'mental illness' in the form of OCD, where your mind goes spiraling out of control with a thought you just can't stop letting control you.

This movie does such a great job of explaining how this happens, and compassionately treating the young woman who sufferes from OCD.

It's obvious that the author of the original book that this movie is based on had his own version of OCD.

I heartily recommend this movie. Girls will probably appreciate it more than the type of guy who wants car chases and shootem' ups. But I'm a guy, and I loved it.

Don't miss this.

The highlight is the amusing but poorly acted John Green cameo, for an otherwise kinda slow film where not much happens.

The first half is really strong. Feeling like it could be building towards something unique and interesting, but it resolves itself in the most predictable way, where it seems like they left out half of the b-plot.

The plot was moving so slow at one point that I had to check that it was in-fact a movie, and not a TV show. There's a reason it went direct-to-streaming, its clearly designed to be watched while you're on your phone, consuming some other piece content at the same time. Like prehaps reading the much better book it's based on.

Full disclosure: I'm a huge fan of the book and both Green brothers.

When I saw the trailer for this movie, I was really frustrated because I thought that it revealed too much about the plot which I really appreciated when I read the book. But, watching the movie in full gave me a new appreciation for why the book was written, beyond the plot. The point of the book and the movie is to paint a picture of what it's like to live with thought spirals and OCD. The movie did this very well. Sure, the plot was given up in the trailer a bit but it also wasn't the centerpiece of the movie. In fact, the plot felt disconnected and scrambled. However, this, like everything else in the movie was in service to the portrait of the human mental condition Green works to create in his novel. The music, the sounds, the imagery, the script, everything works in union to serve this goal and it's emotional how well it was all done. This is a rare occasion that the works of many come together to produce something beautifully bold and out of the ordinary. It makes me proud to be human and gives me hope for the future, and not just in the personal regard. As a creative, it gives me hope that work like this is possible and desireable.

If anyone associated with the movie gets the chance to read this, thank you. Your work is valuable and you are achieving greatness.

This translated SO WELL to the big screen. I read the book a few years ago and it meant so much to me, and watching this movie was like reliving reading it for the first time it was absolutely perfect. So so appreciative for the portrayal of anxiety disorders in this movie. Isabela Merced was so incredible in this, I cried a few times. The soundtrack also suited it so well. I recommend to literally anyone who is interested, it touched my soul. So glad that this story exists, and to be able to see it again for "first time". Thank you John Green and everyone else who worked on this movie. I loved it.

Honestly I loved this movie . It is certainly not a great film or a groundbreaking piece of cinema - but it's powerful and poignant and makes you want to be better - more present and more willing to help others and empower those around you .

The main cast was AMAZING!!! They were selected so well and really had great chemistry . The "spirals " were presented in a way where , at least as someone who has friends with OCD , from the outside perspective seemed very authentic.

You were drawn in and the development in the writing and arc of each character and of their relationships to each other was very good .

Honestly the movie is full of great points , messages and one liners that can serve as mottos for life - but the whole thing really comes together with the speech from Daisy at the end and the montage of possible future happenings. The movie leaves you hopeful and sad- leaves you with a more acute understanding of the human condition as a whole , of mental illness and of compassion and effort .

Absolutely would reccomend!

As someone who does not have OCD, I still identified with a lot of things in this movie that I think lots of people deal with. I read the book about a month ago, and I was impressed by how close it stayed to the story. I think that the cinematography was really well done, the diversity in viewpoint kept me engaged. The bright colors of Daisy next to the more pastel colors of Aza worked really beautifully. I also think that the static and microbe videos of the thought spirals were a good representation of what was described in the book (and I assume, how it feels)

Thank you John for writing this story (and congrats on the acting debut) and thank you Hannah for making this vision come to life so vividly and beautifully!

Unashamedly not the first John Green penned work to pull at me (had to take a 3 day reading break from Looking for Alaska) - this film portrays an incredible insight into mental health, and also that it might not be how everyone else sees it.

As someone who has had his struggles with the spirals in which Aza portrays, this film accurately portrays the the sense of detachment you can feel when your thoughts are wrapped up in so much other brain processes.

Isabella Merced is incredible portraying that detachment while also helping you feel the helplessness you can get in those moments.

I don't usually write reviews on here but this is an incredible film, understanding the need to portray the dark side of mental health, while balancing it with the fun and light heartedness of just living your life.

Don't sleep on this film! 1.

It is a very entertaining movie, it is more like spending time. In general terms you can see that the performances are very dynamic, the empathy data there are times that is not always seen in a film and here I did find that sequence with the actors. Which makes it an entertaining app to have a good time or for a weekend with nothing to do. It is a good recommendation. That part that makes us connect with a movie is a species. To be honest, I feel that at the end the film loses its advantage since it had a good premiere but little by little the pace fell off, which was what disappointed me the most.

First of all, I've never read the book that this movie was based on, jst saw trailer on YouTube and I saw that Isabela Merced was in, so I decided to give it a watch. This movie is one of the most gut wrenching experience I've ever seen in a long time.

The way it tackles these subjects is very raw and heartbreaking to watch on screen and I'm someone who doesn't worry about germs or has OCD, but that doesn't matters to me, what matters to me is how they executed it. Isabela Merced's performance in this movie is absolutely career-defining and this is only the beginning for this woman's career.

Overall, Turtles All the Way Down (2024) is definitely a movie that not going to be for everyone, but it's definitely a movie that people need to watch a least once, because man it really hits you hard.