On the surface, the YA adaptation All Together Now may seem like something Netflix is releasing in an effort to capture the tween market. Sure, it’s adapted from a YA novel and has an appealing young cast, but the secret weapon here is that it’s made by an old soul in Brett Haley. The filmmaker made his bones directing veteran actors and actresses who were due starring roles, like Sam Elliott and Blythe Danner, before recently moving towards younger skewing casts. Now, this latest effort of his shows how effective material potentially meant for a younger audience can be in the right hands. Haley’s sure nature and talented direction makes this a family friendly but wholly effective work that’s absolutely heartwarming. The film is a drama, based on the novel Sorta Like a Rock Star by Matthew Quick. Amber Appleton (Auli’i Cravalho) is the kind of teenager every parent would love to have. She’s kind, works hard, and does good in the world. When she’s not in school, she’s either teaching an ESL class that involves singing, working, or volunteering at a home for seniors, with a special bit of attention paid towards the curmudgeonly Joan (Carol Burnett). Amber is also an incredibly talented singer, so much so that the prestigious Carnegie Mellon University is auditioning her. However, she also has a secret. Amber is homeless, living in a school bus with her mother Becky (Justina Machado). It’s closely guarded, as both are too proud to ask for help. Unfortunately, things are about to get harder for both of them, and when help is required, will Amber be able to accept it from her friends? The answer may not be a big surprise, but it’s in seeing how it all comes together that one gets all the feels. Haley directs a screenplay he co-wrote with frequent writing partner Marc Basch (Quick also penned a previous adaptation of his book). Supporting players include Fred Armisen, Rhenzy Feliz, Anthony Jacques, Judy Reyes, Taylor Richardson, Roxanne Stathos, Gerald Isaac Waters, and more. Rob Givens contributes the cinematography, while the score, as well as a wonderful original song, is by Haley’s go to composer, the vastly underrated Keegan DeWitt. Brett Haley continues a winning streak that really shows to me that he can do no wrong behind the camera. Not only is he a simple yet completely effective visual storyteller, he once again finds […]