When Alex Rose’s mother — played by TV’s favorite mom, Connie Britton — sends her on a quest to complete her childhood bucket list, she sets off on a journey in which she uncovers family secrets, finds romance, and learns more about her true self with the support of her brothers (Dario Ladani Sanchez, Federico Rodriguez), her lawyer turned ally (Kyle Allen), and a cadre of friends.

The list takes her to uncharted territory — open mic night at a comedy club, leading a classroom in a women’s shelter, a glamorous charity event, playing one-on-one basketball — and then back to where she started: her childhood home. “Alex Rose is me, is you, is all of us,” Carson tells Tudum. “At times, alive but not living. She reconnects us to the dreamer we left behind, fearlessly holding her hand as she bravely marches through life.”

Set against the backdrop of New York City, the film presents a fresh take on the beloved genre that’s at turns unexpected, moving, and relatable. “Alex Rose awakens us to life again,” Carson tells Tudum. “The Life List is a portrait of life. Moving through loss with tears in her eyes, a smile on her face, wit on her lips, as she learns to live again.”

The Life List is both an emotional coming-of-age story and an irresistible romance with its authentic and layered characters and universal premise — we all have dreams we’ve back-burnered. For Allen, who plays Alex’s love interest Brad, the story immediately resonated — “When I got the script, I cried, and that’s always a good sign,” Allen told Netflix. “The movie’s like, ‘I’m going to talk about life in direct accordance with death, and I’m going to walk people through it in a really beautiful and constructive way that leaves everyone happier and more fulfilled for what’s happened.’ ”