Common Sense Media Review
By Jennifer Green
,
based on child development research. How do we rate?
Lackluster romcom has sex references, language, drinking.
Parents Need to Know
Why Age 15+?
Any Positive Content?
Where to Watch
Videos and Photos
The List
What's the Story?
Abby (Halston Sage) and Matt (Jonah Platt) are engaged to be married in THE LIST. Out at a bar with friends, the pair reveal they both have "free-pass lists" of celebrities they would ostensibly be allowed to cheat with, despite their commitment to each other. When Abby finds out that Matt actually did cheat with a movie star on his list, Kenzie Scott (Clark Backo), she flees to Los Angeles to best friend Chloe's (Chrissie Fit) house to recuperate. There, she decides that perhaps pursuing the men on her own list would be the best way to overcome her feelings of betrayal and get back on course with her fiancé. Chloe's ex-girlfriend, whom she's still pining after, works as a talent agent in Hollywood and helps Abby get close to her crushes. What Abby doesn't anticipate is meeting nice guy Jake (Christian Navarro), and she keeps postponing calling off her wedding even as the day draws nearer.
Is It Any Good?
All the ingredients to fulfill the romcom formula are here, but somehow the magic is missing in this film. The List falls flat. This could be because the characters aren't sketched to feel entirely believable (Abby's mentioned law school and screenwriting chops feel far-fetched, and best friend Chloe doesn't seem to have to work at all). Or it might be that the film's rhythm is off because scenarios and jokes that were probably fine on paper feel awkward and unfunny.
The film has a couple of highlights, endearing actor Navarro among them, and the cast plays their characters as basically good people. While there's some suspense in seeing what Abby will do with her love life, the ending -- a romcom cliché -- ultimately doesn't satisfy. You can leave this film off your list.
Talk to Your Kids About ...
Families can talk about whether they think Abby made the right choice at the end of The List, and why.
Have you ever heard of a "free-pass list" like the one this story is built around? What do you think of the idea? How important are trust and honesty in your own relationships?
What aspects of the character of Abby were most and least believable to you, and why?
Movie Details
- On DVD or streaming : August 22, 2023
- Cast : Halston Sage , Chrissie Fit , Christian Navarro
- Director : Melissa Miller Costanzo
- Inclusion Information : Female Movie Director(s) , Female Movie Actor(s) , Latino Movie Actor(s)
- Studio : Universal Pictures
- Genre : Comedy
- Topics : Friendship
- Run time : 96 minutes
- MPAA rating :
- MPAA explanation : sexual references and language
- Last updated : September 18, 2025
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