Then Came You – WISE Score & Parent Review | Screenwise

Then Came You

Name: Screenwise
Author: Screenwise

movie2018

62%

WISE Score

Avg. Tomatometer

Anxious baggage handler meets dying teen with a bucket list—cue tears, growth, and a predictable but heartfelt journey.

55%

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Then Came You

movie

2018

62%

WISE Score

Avg. Tomatometer

Anxious baggage handler meets dying teen with a bucket list—cue tears, growth, and a predictable but heartfelt journey.

55%

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Screenwise Verdict

Then Came You is a perfectly serviceable terminal-illness dramedy that hits the expected beats: anxious protagonist, dying teen with big personality, bucket list adventures, emotional growth, tears. It's not breaking new ground—critics were lukewarm (44 Metacritic)—but audiences found it touching enough (72% RT, 6.9 IMDb).

The core themes are solid: facing fears, living authentically, human connection in the face of mortality. For teens ready to engage with death thoughtfully, it can spark meaningful conversations. But let's be real—this is a well-worn formula, and your teen has probably seen it done better elsewhere (The Fault in Our Stars, A Walk to Remember, etc.).

It's fine. It's earnest. It'll make you cry if you're in the mood. But it's not must-see cinema, and the 2.9 Letterboxd rating tells you the film crowd wasn't impressed. If your teen wants a good cry and a reminder to live fully, sure. If they want something fresh or surprising, keep scrolling.

Age Fit

Best for teens 13+ who can handle emotional heaviness around terminal illness. Younger kids won't connect with the themes, and older teens might find it a bit formulaic and sappy unless they're in the mood for a cry.

WISE Breakdown

Wholesome

A story about confronting fears and helping someone fulfill their dreams models kindness and empathy. The relationship between the hypochondriac baggage handler and terminally ill teen centers on compassion and personal growth. However, the premise involves terminal illness and death, which creates emotional heaviness that limits the 'wholesome' feel. The tone appears generally respectful and heartfelt based on audience scores, but this isn't a light, feel-good experience.

Imaginative

The 'eccentric bucket list' concept offers some creative premise, but this is fundamentally a familiar terminal-illness dramedy formula that's been done many times (The Fault in Our Stars, Me and Earl and the Dying Girl, etc.). The execution appears serviceable but not particularly inventive based on mixed critical reception (55% RT critics, 44 Metacritic). The pairing of an anxious American with a bold British teen creates some character dynamics, but nothing here screams originality.

Safe

Common Sense Media rates this for age 13, suggesting some mature themes but nothing shocking. The core content involves terminal illness and death, which are emotionally heavy but handled in a dramedy context rather than graphically. No MPAA rating provided, but the premise and genre suggest PG-13 territory—likely some language, emotional intensity, and death themes, but probably not graphic violence, sex, or gore. The 'surprise death' element is actually telegraphed by the premise itself, so parents know what they're getting into.

Enriching

Tackles meaningful themes: confronting mortality, overcoming anxiety, living fully despite fear, and the transformative power of human connection. The hypochondriac protagonist's journey offers potential lessons about facing irrational fears. The bucket-list framework encourages reflection on what matters in life. Audience scores (72% RT, 6.9 IMDb) suggest it resonates emotionally. However, critics were lukewarm (44 Metacritic), suggesting the execution may be more predictable than profound. Still, death-and-dying narratives can build empathy and perspective.

Parent Info

✓

Why It Might Be Great

Explores mortality and living fully in an accessible dramedy format that balances humor with emotional depth
Models empathy, courage, and human connection—the protagonist learns to face his fears by helping someone else face the ultimate fear
The bucket-list framework can spark meaningful conversations about priorities, legacy, and what makes life worth living
Audience scores suggest it lands emotionally even if critics found it formulaic—sometimes the formula works

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What to Watch For

Terminal illness and death are the entire premise—this will be sad, and some kids may find it too heavy or triggering
The 2.9 Letterboxd rating suggests film buffs found it pretty mediocre; your teen might roll their eyes at the predictability
Common Sense Media says 13+, likely for emotional intensity and possibly some language—preview if your kid is sensitive to grief themes

Conversation Starters

"If you had to make a bucket list right now, what would be on it? What matters most to you?"
"The main character is a hypochondriac who's terrified of dying. Do you think his fears are totally different from the girl's, or kind of the same?"
"How do you think helping someone else can change your own perspective on life?"
"Would you want to know if you had limited time, or would you rather not know? Why?"

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