Turtles All the Way Down Synopsis & Review: Plot Summary

🎯 Quick Overview

😅 Plot Summary – Badly Explained

A girl with OCD and her Star Wars-fanfic-writing bestie try to find a missing billionaire because…money, but mostly it’s about intrusive thoughts and teenage feels.

🍿 Turtles All the Way Down: Detailed Plot Synopsis

Introduction to Aza and Her Struggles

Aza Holmes, a teenager, grapples with obsessive-compulsive disorder (OCD), which manifests as relentless, intrusive thoughts and anxiety. She tries to navigate typical high school life, friendships, and family while constantly battling her mental health. Her best friend, Daisy, is a vibrant and outgoing contrast to Aza’s introverted nature, providing support and a sense of normalcy.

The Missing Billionaire Mystery

A local billionaire, Russell Pickett, goes missing, sparking a community-wide search and an FBI reward. Daisy sees this as an opportunity and encourages Aza to get involved, especially since Aza knows Pickett’s son, Davis, from childhood. The girls see the investigation as a way to earn money and distract themselves from their personal problems. Aza reconnects with Davis, leading to a complex dynamic as they navigate their past connection and the mystery surrounding his father’s disappearance. Davis’s privileged life contrasts sharply with Aza’s everyday struggles, creating both a connection and a source of tension.

Navigating Relationships and Mental Health

As Aza becomes closer to Davis, she struggles to reconcile her romantic feelings with her OCD, which makes intimacy and connection difficult. Her intrusive thoughts often sabotage her attempts at building relationships, causing her to question her own worthiness of love and happiness. Daisy, despite her outwardly confident persona, also deals with her own insecurities and provides a crucial anchor for Aza. Aza’s mental health journey is central to the plot, showcasing her therapy sessions, medication, and coping mechanisms. The film realistically portrays the challenges of living with OCD, highlighting the constant effort required to manage intrusive thoughts and maintain a sense of control.

⚠️ Spoilers and Ending Explained

🎬 Cast & Characters

• Aza Holmes (Isabela Merced): A teenager struggling with severe OCD and anxiety navigates friendships, love, and the search for a missing billionaire while battling intrusive thoughts.
• Daisy (Cree): Aza’s supportive and outgoing best friend writes Star Wars fan fiction and encourages Aza to step outside her comfort zone.
• Davis (Felix Mallard): Aza’s childhood crush and the son of the missing billionaire reconnects with her and grapples with his own emotional struggles.
• Gina (Judy Reyes): Aza’s caring therapist provides support and guidance as Aza manages her OCD.
• Dr. Kira Singh (Poorna Jagannathan): The therapist helping Aza navigate her OCD and anxiety.

💬 Memorable Quotes

• Aza: “I’m not a person. I’m a sentence.” – Aza expresses her feeling of being trapped and defined by her intrusive thoughts.
• Daisy: “You’re just so pathologically uncurious that you don’t even know what you don’t know.” – Daisy jokingly berates Aza’s lack of interest in things that don’t directly concern her, but also highlighting Aza’s focus on her own internal struggles.
• Aza: “Your now is not your forever.” – This quote is a message of hope, reminding Aza (and the audience) that mental health struggles are not permanent.

💰Box Office

• Budget: N/A
• Domestic Gross: N/A
• Worldwide Gross: N/A

💥 Turtles All the Way Down Reviews

Personal Review

Okay, so I went into this movie not knowing much, and wow, it hit me hard. As someone who’s dealt with anxiety, Aza’s thought spirals felt SO real. Isabela Merced was amazing! There’s this one scene in the car with her best friend Daisy that just made me cry. Honestly, it’s not a perfect movie, but it’s a real one, and it made me feel seen.

• Who would enjoy:
  • “Fans of John Green’s books”
  • “Teenagers and young adults”
  • “Viewers interested in stories about mental health”
  • “Those who appreciate character-driven dramas”
• Content warnings ⚠:
  • “Themes of mental illness (OCD)”
  • “Anxiety”
  • “Intrusive thoughts”
  • “Some strong language”
  • “Sexual references”

Professional Reviews

• Variety: “While the film doesn’t shy away from the realities of living with OCD, it balances the heaviness with moments of genuine connection and humor, largely thanks to the strong performances from Merced and Cree. The mystery plot feels somewhat secondary, but it provides a narrative framework for Aza’s internal struggles.
• The Hollywood Reporter: “Merced delivers a nuanced portrayal of Aza, capturing the anxiety and vulnerability of a teenager grappling with OCD. The film’s strength lies in its sensitive handling of mental illness, though the pacing can feel uneven at times, and the ending lacks a definitive resolution.

Audience Reactions

Isabela Merced’s performance was incredible and so emotionally accurate!: The movie provides an authentic and respectful representation of OCD.

Daisy was a fun and engaging character that many have agreed she carried the movie: Many who struggled with OCD felt seen and heard due to the amazing acting

Overall Consensus: A heartfelt and well-acted adaptation of John Green’s novel, praised for its realistic portrayal of OCD, though some find the mystery plot secondary and the ending unresolved.

Awards

🛠️ Behind the Scenes

• “John Green, the author of the novel, is open about his own struggles with anxiety and obsessive-compulsive disorder, which heavily influenced the story.”
• “The film was shot in Cincinnati, Ohio, which is also where John Green’s novel is set, adding to the authenticity of the adaptation.”
• “Although completed in 2023, the movie was released in 2024.”

🖥️ How to Watch Turtles All the Way Down?

Turtles All the Way Down is currently streaming exclusively on Max. While there are no current options to rent or purchase the film digitally on platforms like Prime Video or Apple TV, this may change in the future. Check Max for availability in your region.

🎥 Similar Movies

If you enjoyed Turtles All the Way Down, you might like these similar films:

• The Perks of Being a Wallflower (2012): Deals with teenage mental health issues and finding your place in the world.
• A Beautiful Mind (2001): Explores the life of a brilliant individual dealing with a severe mental illness.
• Everything, Everything (2017): Features a teenage romance where one of the characters has a serious medical condition that limits their life.
• Words on Bathroom Walls (2020): Deals with a teenager’s struggle with mental illness and how it impacts their relationships.

🛒 Turtles All the Way Down Related Products

• Turtles All the Way Down by John Green: The original novel that inspired the movie, delving deeper into Aza’s thoughts and experiences. A must-have for fans of the film who want a more immersive experience.
• Custom Star Wars Fan Fiction Notebook: A notebook inspired by Daisy’s Star Wars fan fiction in the movie. Perfect for writing your own stories and showing your love for the movie and the Star Wars universe.
• Brain Games – Relax and Solve Puzzles: Large Print (Volume 4): Filled with puzzles that help to calm the mind and deal with stress
• The Fault In Our Stars [Blu-ray]: Another adaption from John Green – Blu-Ray is included.

🎧 Soundtrack

Turtles All the Way Down features a captivating soundtrack that enhances the movie’s atmosphere and emotional impact. Here are some notable tracks:

• “Oh No” – performed by Biig Piig
• “The Less I Know The Better” – performed by Tame Impala

You can find the complete soundtrack on Amazon Music and Apple Music.

🤨 FAQ

🔥 Bonus Content

Meeting up with the Turtles All the Way Down cast

Ever wonder what it’s like for the cast of ‘Turtles All the Way Down’ to actually *meet* John Green? Check out this short video where he hangs out with the actors – it’s cool to see the real people behind these characters!

The first screening of Turtles All the Way Down

Imagine being at the very first screening of ‘Turtles All the Way Down’! John Green gives us a sneak peek in this vid. Seriously, seeing his reaction is kinda heartwarming!

✨ Rate