Five Feet Apart – The Untouchable Love Story

Photo from variety.com

“Five Feet Apart,” released a little over a week ago, is one of the most tragic, heartbreaking and nerve-wracking movies to see in theaters this month.

The story starts out with Stella (Haley Lu Richardson,) the main character who lives with terminal illness cystic fibrosis. Stella shares her journey on her YouTube channel, having recently been re-admitted to the hospital for a check-up.

There are two other prominent characters, Will (Cole Sprouse) and Poe (Moises Arias). Poe and Stella have been friends since they were young, but Will is new to the cystic fibrosis wing of the hospital. Will is different than most other cystic fibrosis patients, having “B. Cepacia,” a type of incurable, fast-growing bacteria that proves fatal to those who have it, often being removed from lung transplant lists.

The movie takes viewers along the journey of what it’s like to live with cystic fibrosis as a teenager. To anyone that does not know much about the disease before going into the theater, there is so much to learn. The hardest concept for most to grasp is that two main characters with this disease are forbidden to touch each other, having to remain at least six feet apart at all times as to not spread lung bacteria.

Six feet, in the grand scheme of things, doesn’t seem far. But imagine needing a hug from someone, a hand held by someone, a shoulder to cry on and when you need it most … with this disease, you can’t have it. Touch is something we take for granted and this movie has you rooting for the untouchable.

Can you love someone you can’t touch? This movie explores the idea of falling in love and has the audience grappling with all different emotions.

The movie, a tragic kind of love story, has its ups and downs and everything in between. Telling the story in a different kind of way, the feelings are displayed solely based on communication between Stella and Will as opposed to showing the love story through touch and human contact.

“Five Feet Apart” is an emotional roller coaster, having viewers rooting for the impossible, just to be unsure of what will happen in the end.  In fact, the end concludes without a typical “ending,” giving each person in the audience the chance to interpret their own idea of what will happen. 

Prepare to shed tears, laugh and get butterflies while watching this movie as talented actors Cole Sprouse and Haley Lu Richardson tell an impossible love story that no one expected, leaving everyone wanting more.

Be grateful for every hug, hand held and shoulder to cry on.

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