Turtles All the Way Down

 

Aza wears blue and white high top chucks in this film.

 

There has been a lot of positive talk over the last few years about mental health, so much so that many feel that it has been destigmatized in the general consciousness. However, millions still suffer in silence, knowing that their mental problems can’t be explained. That is why it is still important for accurate portrayals in film and TV. The film Turtles All the Way Down is a 2024 film that is based on the book of the same name, which tackles the mental health struggles of a young woman. The film stars Isabela Merced, Cree, Felix Mallard, Maliq Johnson, Poorna Jagannathan, Judy Reyes, and J. Smith-Cameron and was released on May 2nd, 2024, on HBO Max..

 

Davis wears black high top chucks multiple times in this film.

 

Aza Holmes (Merced) is a 16-year-old high school student living in Indianapolis who struggles with severe OCD (Obsessive-Compulsive Disorder) and anxiety. Specifically, this manifests as a fear of the human microbiome, as she focuses on the bacteria and organisms that make her up and may infect her. She is constantly worried about catching a serious disease, particularly C. diff (Clostridioides difficile), and this manifests with her repeatedly opening a never-fully-healed callus on her finger in an effort to drain out what she believes are pathogens. Aza lost her father when she was young, and lives with her very protective mother. Her best friend is Daisy Ramirez (Cree), an outgoing and expressive person who writes Star Wars fan fiction and often tries to push Aza to step out of her comfort zone. One day at school, Daisy discovers that Russell Pickett, a billionaire construction magnate and the father of Aza's old camp crush, Davis Pickett (Mallard), has gone missing in the wake of corporate crime investigations. Davis’ mom had died years prior, so Russell's disappearance leaves Davis and his younger brother Noah with no formal guardian. Daisy is tempted by the reward of $100,000 for information leading to Pickett's arrest, and she takes Aza on a search for the missing billionaire. They canoe down the White River and sneak onto the Pickett property to copy a picture of Pickett that was taken shortly after the night he disappeared from Davis's night-vision camera. However, they are caught by a security guard who brings them to meet Davis.

 

Aza wears optical white high top chucks on her first date with Davis.

 

Davis is clearly crushing hard on Aza, unbeknownst to her, and they eventually agree to hang out as a double date with Daisy and her new boyfriend, Mychal (Johnson). During the double date, Davis asks Aza about why she resurfaced and assumes it’s for the reward, despite them both clearly having feelings for one another. He decides they can easily solve this problem by giving Aza $100,000 that his father had stashed in a cookie jar. Aza splits the money with Daisy, and she and Davis begin seeing each other. As time passes, though, Aza comes to believe that she cannot overcome her anxiety, preventing her from ever having a normal relationship with Davis. Time will tell if she can truly overcome her own mind, and what turmoil she may have to go through to get to the other side.

The film uses text graphics to show us the conversations between Aza and Davis.

 

Those who suffer from severe anxiety and OCD will see themselves in Aza. Isabela Merced portrays her downward spirals with such incredible accuracy that it focuses on the helplessness that comes with falling victim to your own thoughts. Her facial expressions in these scenes convey the utter despair and helplessness one feels when spiraling like she does. Merced has always been a great actress, but this film really showcases her strengths as a lead. She is incredibly likeable, emotional, and compelling on the screen, and it’s no wonder she is having a moment currently on the precipice of being one of the next big stars in Hollywood.

 

Isabela shines as Aza in this film.

 

Best Chucks Scene

 

 

Chucks on the PJ is a vibe.

 

The best chucks scene in the film comes from one of Aza and Davis’ dates. Davis asks Aza to play hooky from school, and she does. She arrives at his house and finds his little brother, who lets it slip that Davis has been trying on outfits all day, and when he arrives, we see he has settled on a green knitted sweater and jeans with black high top chucks. They head to a hangar where Davis reveals that they are going to take his dad’s private jet to Chicago to visit Aza’s dream college, Northwestern. The trip starts as a dream, and Aza begins to believe that she can have the life she has always wanted, so much so that she actually kisses Davis. However, she begins to spiral, and the trip ends with her falling into a depression. This scene is important as the real turning point in the film, where we see both sides of Aza’s possible future. One where she rids herself of those doubting voices in her head and she realizes her dreams, or one where she gives in and is paralyzed with fear for the rest of her life.

 

Davis has a big surprise for Aza.

 

Turtles All the Way Down. (2024) Isabela Merced, Felix Mallard, Cree, Judy Reyes, Maliq Johnson, Miles Ekhardt, J. Smith-Cameron, Poorna Jagannathan, Tim Gooch, Jason Kientz. Directed by Floria Sigismondi.
Categories: Coming of Age, Romance, Mystery.
ChucksConnection Rating: MPAA Rating: PG-13

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