The story of All My Life and its race against time
All My Life follows a newly engaged couple whose world tilts when one partner receives a terminal diagnosis. Rather than postpone their dreams, they make the urgent decision to accelerate their wedding plans — a choice that transforms their remaining time together into something both precious and heartbreaking. Director Marc Meyers crafts this narrative around the true experiences of Solomon Chau and Jennifer Carter, two people who refused to let circumstance dictate the timeline of their commitment. The film doesn't shy away from the weight of what's happening, but it also refuses to become purely a vehicle for sadness. Instead, it's a story about choosing love when the stakes couldn't possibly be higher.
Behind the making of All My Life and its cast
Marc Meyers directed All My Life from a screenplay by Todd Rosenberg, drawing directly from the real-life experiences of Solomon and Jennifer. The film stars Jessica Rothe (known for her work in Happy Death Day) and Harry Shum Jr. (Glee, Crazy Rich Asians), alongside an ensemble that includes Chrissie Fit, Michael Masini, Greg Vrotsos, Ever Carradine, and Marielle Scott. Released in 2020 with a PG-13 rating, the film runs 91 minutes — a lean runtime that keeps the emotional momentum tight without lingering unnecessarily. The production was a U.S.-China co-production, reflecting the increasingly global nature of independent filmmaking.
At the box office, All My Life earned just under $914,000, a modest return that speaks to the challenges facing intimate dramas in theatrical distribution. Awards recognition came modestly as well, with the film earning one win and one nomination across major ceremonies. On the critical metrics that Movie OTT tracks across aggregators, the film landed at a 59% on Rotten Tomatoes (marking it "Rotten" in the aggregate), a 6.3/10 on IMDb from nearly 7,000 votes, and a 39 Metascore — numbers that suggest the film divides viewers and critics rather than commanding consensus. What's striking is that these middling scores don't quite capture what the film actually does well.
What makes All My Life stand out despite mixed reviews
The performances are the real engine here. Rothe and Shum Jr. don't play this as tragedy porn — they're understated, almost quiet in their approach, which makes the emotional beats land harder when they arrive. There's a scene early on where they're planning wedding details that should feel mundane, but instead it carries this undercurrent of urgency that neither character explicitly states. That restraint is what separates All My Life from becoming melodramatic. The film trusts its audience to understand what's unsaid.
What critics sometimes miss when they dismiss this kind of film is that it's not trying to be a grand statement about mortality or love or any of those big abstractions. It's trying to capture something smaller and more true: what it actually feels like to be two ordinary people in an extraordinary situation. The screenplay doesn't manufacture false hope or lean into inspirational clichés. Instead, it watches how people behave when they're forced to compress years of life into months. That's the real subject here — not the illness itself, but the choices people make in response to it.
Honestly, the film's modest box office and mixed critical reception probably has more to do with marketing and timing than the quality of what's on screen. A small, intimate drama about a real couple doesn't have the hooks that studios know how to sell. It's not a franchise, not a known IP, not a celebrity vehicle in the traditional sense. It just is what it is: a straightforward, human story told with care.
Where to stream All My Life online
All My Life is currently available to stream on Prime Video, where you can watch it as part of your subscription or through digital purchase. Movie OTT maintains a real-time tracker of where titles like this one are streaming, so if you're looking to catch up on available platforms, the Where-to-Watch widget at the top of this page shows you exactly where to find it right now. Streaming availability shifts regularly, so checking that widget before you click through is your best bet for catching it without frustration.
Frequently asked questions
Q: Is All My Life based on a true story?
Yes. The film is inspired by the real relationship between Solomon Chau and Jennifer Carter, a couple who rushed to marry after Solomon received a liver cancer diagnosis. Director Marc Meyers adapted their story from a true-life account.
Q: Who directed All My Life and what's their background?
Marc Meyers directed the film from a screenplay by Todd Rosenberg. Meyers is known for his work on independent dramas that focus on character-driven narratives and intimate human moments.
Q: What's the runtime and rating for All My Life?
The film runs 91 minutes and is rated PG-13, making it accessible to a broad audience while handling mature themes with restraint.
Q: How did All My Life perform at the box office and with critics?
The film earned approximately $913,935 at the box office and received mixed critical reviews, scoring 59% on Rotten Tomatoes, 6.3/10 on IMDb, and a 39 Metascore. Despite these middling aggregate scores, the film's performances and emotional restraint have resonated with viewers seeking character-focused dramas.
Q: Who stars in All My Life?
Jessica Rothe and Harry Shum Jr. lead the cast, with supporting performances from Chrissie Fit, Michael Masini, Greg Vrotsos, Ever Carradine, and Marielle Scott.
Final thoughts on All My Life
All My Life won't be for everyone — and that's okay. It's a quiet film about quiet people facing something enormous, and it doesn't apologize for that simplicity. If you're looking for sweeping romantic gestures or triumphant narratives, you'll want to look elsewhere. But if you can sit with genuine emotion that doesn't announce itself loudly, if you're moved by performances that trust subtlety over declaration, then this film deserves your time. It's a reminder that the most powerful love stories aren't always the ones that win awards or pack theaters.
