The movie Turtles All the Way Down, based on the novel by John Green, offers a new take on coming-of-age movies, focussing on how people live with obsessive-compulsive disorder.
The movie follows Aza Holmes, a senior in high school who lives in Indianapolis and struggles with severe OCD; her best friend, Daisy Ramirez; and Davis Pickett Jr., the son of millionaire Davis Pickett Sr.
The movie follows Aza and Daisy as they reunite with Davis after years apart because they are looking for Davis’s father, who has gone missing.
The movie adds new elements that were not featured in the novel, and it delves more deeply into the effects of OCD on Aza’s life.
Aza narrates most of the movie because the novel was written from her perspective. Aza’s narration allows the viewer to get into her head and see what she is thinking, which is an essential element in both the novel and movie.
Aza’s thoughts in the movie are also highlighted by images that flash across the screen when she gets into a thought spiral. These images add a dramatic effect to her thoughts and allow the viewer to feel some of the anxiety that she feels.
The story follows the typical coming-of-age plot line but with the addition of real-life aspects, such as her struggle with her mental health. This sets the movie apart from other high school movies because it is more gritty and raw, and it can even be hard to watch at some points.
