A Movie Review - The Life List: A Journey Through Grief, Purpose, and Rediscovery

Reviewed by: Suzanne Grafals, LCSW - Grief Counselor with VIA Health Partners

A Movie Review - The Life List: A Journey Through Grief, Purpose, and Rediscovery

Grief doesn't come with a roadmap; but sometimes, it comes with a list. In this emotionally grounded film, we follow Alex, a young woman navigating the first raw year after her mother's death from cancer. Instead of receiving traditional inheritance money or a company title, Alex is given something far more personal: a list of childhood goals and a final request to rediscover the person she once dreamed of becoming.

To receive each heartfelt video message her mother recorded before passing, Alex must first complete a goal. In doing so, her grief transforms into a journey of healing, self-reflection, and unexpected joy. Each completed task peels back a layer of who Alex used to be and who she might still become. What makes these moments powerful is their imperfection. They are simple, real, and full of heart, reminding us that healing doesn't happen all at once. Sometimes, it comes in small, messy steps forward.

Rather than offering neat resolutions or polished storylines, the film embraces the nonlinear reality of loss. It reminds us that moving forward doesn't mean letting go. It means carrying love with us into whatever come next. There's no dramatic makeover; no tired cliche about "everything happens for a reason." Instead, there's a quiet, honest truth: you're still here and that matters.

Once of the film's most moving themes is reconnection, not just with those we've lost, but with the parts of ourselves we thought were gone with them. There's no forced optimism or empty comfort. Just the reminder that life after loss isn't about finding a silver lining; it's about honoring the love that remains by choosing to keep living.

This is a film for anyone learning how to live again in the wake of loss. Tender, raw, and deeply human. It's an honest companion for those walking through grief.

Question for Processing Grief and Rediscovery:

1. Think back to your childhood dreams. What's one goal or passion you had as a kid that you've left behind? Could it still have a place in your life?

2. How do you stay connected to those you've lost? Are there rituals, places, stories, or traditions that help keep their memory alive?

3. If you were to leave behind a message for someone you love, what would you want them to remember most about you? What would you want them to carry forward?

4. How are you experiencing healing right now, not as an end goal, but as a living, ongoing process?

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