Falling in love while forbidden from touching sounds like a premise built for melodrama, but Five Feet Apart grounds its high-concept hook in real medical stakes. Anchored by genuine chemistry between its two leads, this became one of 2019’s biggest surprise box office hits, proving young adult romance can still pack an emotional punch when it takes its subject seriously.
Overview
Five Feet Apart is a 2019 American romantic drama directed by Justin Baldoni in his feature directorial debut, written by Mikki Daughtry and Tobias Iaconis. It follows Stella Grant, a 17-year-old with cystic fibrosis who spends most of her life in the hospital, and Will Newman, a fellow CF patient whose reckless attitude clashes with her rule-following nature — until an undeniable connection forces them to navigate a relationship complicated by the very real danger their illness poses to each other.
Basic Details
| Details | Info. |
|---|---|
| Genre | Romance, Drama |
| Runtime | 1 hr 56 min (116 minutes) |
| Director | Justin Baldoni |
| Cast | Haley Lu Richardson, Cole Sprouse, Moisés Arias, Kimberly Hébert Gregory, Parminder Nagra, Claire Forlani |
| Release Date | March 15, 2019 |
| Where to Watch | Amazon, Apple TV, Netflix |
| IMDb Rating | 7.2/10 |
| Expected Season | Standalone film — no sequel |
Plot Summary
Seventeen-year-old Stella Grant has spent most of her teenage years in the hospital managing cystic fibrosis, a life defined by strict routines, medical boundaries, and rigid self-control. That careful order is upended when she meets Will Newman, a fellow CF patient with a devil-may-care attitude and little patience for the rules that govern her life. Because their specific strains of infection pose serious risk to one another, hospital protocol requires them to stay six feet apart at all times.
Despite the danger, an undeniable connection sparks between them, and Stella convinces Will to start following his treatment more seriously in exchange for letting him get closer — pushing their mandated distance down to a rebellious five feet. As their relationship deepens, the film builds toward an impossible question: how do you love someone you’re forbidden to touch, when doing so could cost you both your lives?
Why You Should Watch It
- Genuine, believable lead chemistry. Critics and audiences alike praise Cole Sprouse and Haley Lu Richardson for selling a relationship built almost entirely on longing and restraint, making their connection feel real rather than manufactured.
- A distinctive, high-concept premise. The “forbidden to touch” hook gives the film a genuinely unique structure within the young-adult romance genre, forcing intimacy to be expressed through words and glances rather than physical closeness.
- Real emotional stakes beyond typical teen romance. Rather than melodrama for its own sake, the film’s medical grounding gives its central conflict real weight and urgency.
- A strong supporting cast. Moisés Arias in particular is often singled out for adding heart and depth to the story beyond the central couple.
- A genuine commercial success story. Made on a modest $7 million budget, the film earned $92.6 million worldwide, confirming its ability to connect with audiences well beyond its target demographic.
Fair warning: some reviewers have noted the ending leans into unrealistic, almost miraculous plot turns that undercut the grounded tone built up earlier in the film. If you’re sensitive to portrayals of chronic illness, know that the film takes real creative liberties with certain medical details for dramatic effect. But if you’re in the mood for an earnest, well-acted tearjerker, it delivers.
Recommendations
If Five Feet Apart worked for you, here’s where to go next:
- The Fault in Our Stars — Another beloved YA tearjerker centered on young love complicated by serious illness.
- Me Before You — For more of the “love against impossible circumstances” emotional register.
- Everything, Everything — A similarly themed romance about a girl whose illness keeps her isolated from the world.
- P.S. I Love You — For a grief-and-love story with a comparable emotional arc, from a slightly older perspective.
- A Walk to Remember — A classic in the “young love cut short by illness” genre, for more of that tradition.
Conclusion
Five Feet Apart takes a premise that could easily have tipped into melodrama and grounds it in genuine emotional stakes, thanks to strong lead performances and a willingness to take its subject matter seriously. Its ending stretches believability, but for fans of earnest, well-acted YA romance, it remains one of the genre’s most memorable and commercially successful entries.