You know that feeling when you're scrolling through Netflix at 11:00 PM and everything looks like the same recycled plot? Then you see The Life List. It’s based on Lori Nelson Spielman’s massive bestseller, and honestly, it’s one of those movies that makes you look at your own dusty "goals" list with a mix of guilt and inspiration. It isn't just a rom-com. It’s a messy, loud, and surprisingly sharp look at what happens when your life plans get hijacked by a dead person's wishes.
Most people think it’s just another Hallmark-adjacent flick about a woman finding herself. They're wrong. It’s actually a pretty brutal critique of how we let our "dream selves" from age fourteen dictate who we are at thirty-four. If you've ever felt like you're failing at being an adult, this movie is basically a mirror.
The Guts of the Story: Brett Lingston’s Mid-Life Crisis
The premise is straightforward but heavy. Brett Lingston thinks she’s about to inherit her mother’s massive cosmetic empire. Instead, her mother, Elizabeth, pulls a fast one from beyond the grave. Brett gets a piece of paper. It’s her own "Life List" from when she was a teenager.
She has to complete the remaining items—things like "fall in love," "have a baby" (yeah, that's a light one), and "get a dog"—within a year to get her inheritance. It’s a trope, sure. But the way the film handles the emotional weight of a daughter being manipulated by a deceased mother is where things get interesting.
The movie deviates from the 2013 novel in some ways that actually make sense for a 2020s audience. In the book, the tone feels a bit more whimsical. The movie? It feels like a ticking clock. It forces the question: Is a mother’s love supposed to be this controlling? Or is it the ultimate act of "tough love" to force your child out of a stagnant, comfortable, but hollow life?
Why the "Life List" Concept Actually Works
Psychologically, there's a reason this story resonates. We all have a "Ghost Life." That’s the life we think we should have lived if we had taken that job in Paris or married that person from college.
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The items on Brett’s list are intentionally dated.
- Buy a horse? In this economy?
- Become a famous teacher?
- Help the poor?
It sounds cheesy until you realize that Brett has become a corporate shell. She’s dating a guy who is basically a cardboard cutout of "The Right Choice." Her mother didn’t leave the list to be cruel; she left it because she saw Brett disappearing into a life that wasn't hers. It’s about the "sunk cost fallacy." We stay in bad relationships or boring jobs because we’ve already put ten years into them. This movie argues that you should blow it all up.
Honestly, the pacing in the middle of the film is a bit frantic. She’s checking off life-altering milestones like she’s grocery shopping. You can’t just "have a baby" in twelve months without some serious complications, and the movie brushes over the logistics of adoption and pregnancy with a very "Hollywood" lens. That’s probably the biggest gripe critics have. It simplifies complex life choices to fit a 105-minute runtime.
The Controversy of the Ending
Without spoiling every single beat, the ending of The Life List sparks a lot of debate among fans of the book. Some feel the romantic resolution is a bit too tidy. In the real world, if your mom forced you to quit your job and buy a horse to get your inheritance, you’d probably need a decade of therapy, not a new boyfriend.
However, the film succeeds because it captures the "Quarter-Life Crisis" vibe perfectly. It taps into that specific anxiety of realizing you’re living someone else’s dream. The actress playing Brett (who brings a lot of vulnerability to a role that could have been annoying) manages to make us root for her even when she’s making objectively terrible decisions.
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What Most Reviews Miss
Critics usually focus on the romance. They talk about the "will-they-won't-they" chemistry. But they miss the most important relationship: Brett and her mother.
Elizabeth Lingston is the antagonist and the hero at the same time. It’s a fascinating look at maternal legacy. Is it a gift to be told you're living your life wrong? Most of us would find it offensive. The movie asks us to accept it as a blessing. It’s a polarizing take on grief and growth.
Real-World Takeaways for Your Own "List"
If you're watching this and thinking about starting your own list, take a beat. The movie makes it look like a whirlwind adventure, but real change is slow.
- Ditch the 14-year-old’s dreams. If you wanted to be an astronaut at fourteen but you get motion sickness now, let it go. Your list should evolve with you.
- The "Comfort Trap" is real. Brett was "happy" at the start of the movie. Or she thought she was. Being comfortable isn't the same as being fulfilled.
- Accountability matters. Brett had a lawyer overseeing her progress. You don't need a lawyer, but you might need a friend who tells you when you're settling for a "good enough" life.
- Failure is a line item. Some things on the list won't work out. The movie shows that the attempt is often what triggers the growth, not the completion of the task itself.
How to Apply the Movie's Logic Without the Inheritance
You don't need a dead relative to shake up your life. Most people who watch The Life List end up googling "how to make a bucket list" or "how to find my passion."
Start by identifying the "shoulds" in your life. I should stay in this career. I should marry this person. Then, look at what your younger self actually cared about before the world told you to be "realistic." Usually, there’s a kernel of truth in those childhood desires. Maybe you don’t need to buy a horse, but maybe you do need to spend more time outdoors.
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The film is a reminder that the clock is ticking for everyone, not just people with a legal contract from their mom. It’s a bit sappy, yeah. It’s a bit unrealistic in its execution. But the core message—that it’s never too late to reclaim your identity—is why it stays in the Netflix Top 10 every time a new generation of viewers discovers it.
Actionable Steps for the Inspired Viewer
If the movie left you feeling a bit restless, don't just move on to the next title in your queue. Take ten minutes. Write down three things you wanted to do ten years ago that you've since labeled as "impossible."
- Look at those items and ask: "Is this impossible, or just inconvenient?"
- Pick the smallest, most ridiculous one.
- Do it this week.
Whether it’s taking a pottery class or finally calling that person you’ve been thinking about, do it. Life doesn't usually hand out lists with clear instructions and a financial reward at the end. You have to write your own, and you have to be your own executor.
Stop waiting for a sign or a mid-life crisis to start living the version of your life that actually feels like yours. The movie is a fantasy, but the regret it tries to prevent is very, very real.