There is a new fictional movie out about OCD, based on the popular John Green book, Turtles All the Way Down. The film can be streamed on HBO Max and has been making waves through the OCD community.
Read reactions to the film from Not Alone Notes writers below:
I connected with this book long before it was a movie and was so excited to finally see Aza on screen. Being a bit outside the target age demographic for YA fiction I wasn’t sure if I’d still relate, but this film reminded me that mental health is something we work on our entire lives.
I was especially touched by the ending sequence. At 30, I still feel many of the same fears as Aza. In many ways I’ve lived a satisfying life, but, like Aza, I still wonder if I’ll ever live a “normal” life where I meet someone, have a family…this film gave me a bit of hope that it’s still possible and if not, my life can still be fulfilling, even if it’s challenging sometimes.
-Brie
Wow, what a movie!! It was the most accurate on screen representation of OCD I have ever seen. I truly felt seen for the first time in the media. While I don’t share the same themes as Aza, the way they portrayed intrusive thoughts and thought spirals, and the feeling of urgency in OCD felt spot on. I wish I had seen this movie when I was Aza’s age and constantly wondering what was “wrong” with me.
I have loved the book for years and the movie was definitely a great adaptation. It is a must see, for sure. Thank you to John Green & the cast and crew for making this movie possible and for helping educate the world on OCD.
-Lisa Giuffre
I thought the Turtles movie had a lot of good synthesis regarding the question of living a fulfilling life as a person who is significantly impacted by mental illness. That is a needed message and it was very beautifully portrayed. I loved the actors performances and Daisy was such a wonderful character.
I wish they dove into the existential parts of her OCD instead of only contamination receiving the imagery. I think it was exceptionally good representation, especially for people who didn’t know that much about OCD coming in or people who just ache to see something that tries to show OCD as painful and not a joke. I love John’s work so much in general and I’m so glad this movie is so good.
I think my main disappointment was it felt like too mild of a representation to be helpful as a tool to me to explain my experience. It is definitely the best representation I’ve ever seen and I’m so hopeful more directors and writers and producers will be inspired by Turtles to make more OCD-related art. John (and Hank Green)’s work has been so defining in every day of my life, and I’m so glad to see his work being made into such important and well-done films.
-Emerson
As a teenager living with OCD, the TATWD movie made me feel so incredibly seen. Aza is portrayed so beautifully throughout the movie, and her character represents teens with OCD more accurately than anything I’ve ever seen. Even as an avid lover of the book, the changes were minimal and non-distracting from the overall empathetic and graceful presence of the movie. Walking up to watch it the moment it came out was so worth it, and will forever be a morning remembered fondly
-Violet Talsma
Have you read the book or and/seen the movie? What did you think?
-Morgan, Not Alone Notes Co-Founder
Not Alone Notes 