"We need that touch from the one we love almost as much as we need air to breathe. But I never understood the importance of touch. His touch. Until I couldn't have it." — Stella
What's love without touch? Is love more vital than life? 'Five Feet Apart', a tear-jerking romance centred around two teenagers living with cystic fibrosis, has a real voice reaching to teens that love isn't contingent on human touch. It puts an ultimate spin on the Romeo and Juliet dilemma. This film utilises a few predictable themes, like the not-at-all discrete lust of 'To All The Boys I Have Loved Before' and the ailing characters' romance of 'The Fault In Our Stars'. Yet, 'Five Feet Apart' stands on its own, with a more unique set of tropes described by the horridly unique circumstances of these infirm kids.
The film is about Stella, who is suffering from the deadly cystic fibrosis with hectic routines, confined boundaries, and self-control until she meets Will, who she finds immensely charming and impossibly romantic. The tragic coincidence is that Will is suffering from the same illness, and there is a harsh restriction to them coming closer since they have to maintain proper health terms to survive. But what begins as an obligation turns into deep love, one that's fuelled by hope.
"Watching them holding hands and exchanging longing glances, I wonder what it would be like to have somebody look at me like that."
Human touch, something we take for granted every day, is what Stella and Will couldn't ever experience. They swiftly portray that though love is not about touch, yet it is all about touch — the touch felt by one heart from the other.
The movie reminds the viewers that life is worth living, love is worth fighting for. Despite all the complications, Will and Stella choose to live together, believing in themselves that the six feet distance can't keep their hearts apart.
Moreover, looking at the film's title, it is evident that it's quite misleading. Five feet apart isn't the rule. Those with cystic fibrosis are required to stay six feet apart at all times to keep their life from danger. But the title of the film refers to Stella's desperation to one day come close to someone and her decision to "steal one foot back" and come, if not much, a tiny bit closer to Will as their love story develops.
The film ends with Stella addressing the audience: "So if you're watching this, and you're able to, touch him. Touch her. Life's too short to waste a second." It enabled the viewers to comprehend what she felt and gave them a personal lesson based on her incredibly persuasive journey.