Netflix’s new romantic comedy/family drama The Life List is an affecting story about love, loss, family, and (re)discovering oneself. The Life List’s cast of characters includes Connie Britton as mother of the family Elizabeth and Sofia Carson as Alex, upon whom the story centers. Tragically, early in the movie, Elizabeth passes away due to her cancer returning, leaving Alex devastated.
What makes this loss all the more painful for Alex initially is the realization that, not only had Elizabeth not left her company to Alex, as Alex had expected, but also, she had left instructions with the family attorney before Alex could access her inheritance. Specifically, Elizabeth was requiring that Alex complete her “life list,” a type of bucket list Alex had created for herself when she was 13. As she completed these items, she received DVDs of her late mother, which culminated in the Life List ending, during which Alex received a final DVD and a mysterious red envelope.
Alex’s Inheritance Was In The Red Envelope At The End Of The Life List
Alex First Had To Complete A Series Of “Life List” Items
Throughout the movie, Alex must complete all the items on her life list, which included smaller tasks, like trying stand-up comedy, and significantly larger ones, like finding true love. At first, Alex seemed frustrated by this challenge set up by her mother, and she remained clearly hurt that her inheritance was delayed and already wasn’t what she had been expecting. Over time, though, Alex begins to rediscover herself through these tasks.
Alex begins to rediscover herself through these tasks.
By the end of the allotted year, Alex had completed all the items on the list, with the exception of finding true love. However, she then discovered that, although finding true love was on the list her mother had left for her, Elizabeth hadn’t truly required that one item be checked; she felt that was an unfair requirement. Given that, Alex had successfully completed her life list and was handed the last DVD and a red envelope. Within that red envelope was the confirmation of Alex’s true inheritance: the family home.
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Why Elizabeth Gave Alex The Family Home As Her Inheritance
Elizabeth Knew This Is What Alex Really Wanted—And Needed
At the beginning of The Life List, it seemed shocking and perhaps even a little cruel that Elizabeth would have left her company to her daughter-in-law (and fired Alex simultaneously), but over the course of the movie, it became clear that all of this truly was for Alex’s benefit. As Elizabeth had hoped, Alex found herself once again while completing the life list, and the DVDs of her mother helped bring her closure and comfort. Receiving the family home, her mother’s home, as her inheritance was the perfect conclusion to this story.
Elizabeth also left money to help cover the taxes and expenses of the home so Alex would not have to worry about them.
In addition to this inheritance being the ideal ending following Alex’s journey of self-discovery, the movie itself also depicted this with perfect symmetry. At the beginning of the movie, Alex is shown in her family home, although this is at a point when she seems lost in life. By contrast, at the end of the movie, Alex is shown throwing a party in the home, reflecting the complete change she has undergone throughout The Life List.
