Jumping from High Places
Likable Italian drama has mature themes, some drinking.
Common Sense is a nonprofit organization. Your purchase helps us remain independent and ad-free.
Jumping from High Places
Did we miss something on diversity?
Research shows a connection between kids' healthy self-esteem and positive portrayals in media. That's why we've added a new "Diverse Representations" section to our reviews that will be rolling out on an ongoing basis. You can help us help kids by suggesting a diversity update.
Suggest an Update
A Lot or a Little?
The parents' guide to what's in this movie.
What Parents Need to Know
Parents need to know that Jumping from High Places is an Italian romantic drama based on a novel about a young woman with severe anxiety. When her best friend, who had always been her safety net and comfort, dies, she has to push past her usual boundaries to keep on living. The loss of a best friend and the main character's own challenges, including panic attacks, negative self-talk, therapy, and an inability to do things other people her age do, are mature themes. Language in the English subtitles is minimal ("d--k" and "crap" are each used once), and despite crushes and general conversations about sexual experience, there are only a couple of mild kissing scenes. Adults drink and sometimes get drunk.
Community Reviews
There aren't any reviews yet. Be the first to review this title.
What's the Story?
JUMPING FROM HIGH PLACES turns on Sole (Federica Torchetti), about to turn 25 but still living at home and feeling stuck due to a generalized anxiety disorder, which keeps her from studying, working, or doing much of anything. Her best friend and support, Emma (Sara Mondello), moved to Paris for love and then passed away in a car crash, leaving Sole feeling even less able to confront life. When Emma's brother and Sole's longtime crush, Massimo (Lorenzo Richelmy), moves home from Milan, and Emma's other friend, Miriam (Celeste Savino), decides to help Sole confront some of her fears, Sole begins coming out of her shell. Prompted by a long-lost letter from Emma, Sole makes a list of all the things she'd like to do but hasn't been able to, and she begins ticking them off one by one with help from her new friends, including handsome Danio (Cristiano Caccamo).
Is It Any Good?
Location, location, location is perhaps this film's biggest appeal, set in gorgeous Puglia on the azure coast of southern Italy. The pleasant, sunbaked setting provides a stark contrast to the inner turmoil of Jumping from High Places' main character, Sole. Federica Torchetti gives a credible performance as a 20-something held back by anxieties, despite a loving family, a strong community, two possible suitors, and an attentive therapist. With the camera constantly on her, and a now-trendy breaking of the fourth wall, Torchetti does create complicity with viewers and offers an endearing performance reminiscent of a young Audrey Tatou.
But Sole is no Amélie, and Jumping lacks the kind of whimsy and charm that made that earlier French film about a comparable misfit so beloved. The story unfolds pleasantly but mostly predictably. It moves slowly, and Sole's hesitancy to move forward in her life could frustrate viewers with no sympathy for or familiarity with struggles like hers. One panic attack is memorably visualized with the camera circling and circling around her, then pulling away slowly as a crowd fills in the foreground and she remains stuck in the same spot. Sole's complicit looks at the camera are repetitive, but the lovely and lovable Torchetti pulls them off. Those who can relate or empathize will find truth in Sole's tale, and in the way she draws people to her and teaches them about the everyday courage of facing one's fears. And if not, you can always just bask in the beauty of the setting.
Talk to Your Kids About ...
Families can talk about Jumping from High Places character Sole's generalized anxiety disorder. How does it manifest? How does it impact her life? Did the portrayal feel realistic? Have you known anyone with this disorder, and how did they manage it?
Where does this film take place? Where could you go for more information about the setting?
What did Sole's friends appear to learn from her?
If you were to make a "bucket list" like Sole, what would it contain?
Movie Details
- On DVD or streaming: October 5, 2022
- Cast: Federica Torchetti, Lorenzo Richelmy, Cristiano Caccamo
- Director: Andrea Jublin
- Studio: Netflix
- Genre: Drama
- Topics: Book Characters, Friendship
- Run time: 88 minutes
- MPAA rating: NR
- Last updated: February 17, 2023
Our Editors Recommend
-
Amelie
Thoughtful, charming, whimsical film has mature moments.
-
Lulli
Lightweight romcom has some mild language, drinking.
-
Four to Dinner
Language, mature themes in Italian relationship tale.
-
The Hand of God
Language, sex, nudity, death in striking Italian drama.
-
Out of My League
Quirky Italian romance has language, sex, fatal illness.
For kids who love diverse characters
Common Sense Media's unbiased ratings are created by expert reviewers and aren't influenced by the product's creators or by any of our funders, affiliates, or partners.
See how we rate