Fans Outraged Over Poor Adaptation of Cult Classic Novel ‘Tout le Bleu du Ciel’

Melissa da Costa’s bestselling novel has been turned into a movie by Maurice Barthelemy, available on TF1 and Netflix. However, the changes made have not been well-received by viewers.

On January 27, 2025, Netflix subscribers and TF1 viewers were introduced to All the Blue in the Sky, a telefilm co-produced by both broadcasters and highly anticipated by the audience. It is an adaptation of Mélissa da Costa’s 2019 bestseller, eagerly awaited by fans. The novel and its adaptation tell the story of Emile (Hugo Becker), who finds out he has a disease similar to Alzheimer’s and decides to leave everything behind to live out his final months away from the hospital. He embarks on a road-trip with Joanne (Camille Lou), a stranger escaping an indescribable sorrow.

On social media, viewers expressed “extreme disappointment” with the adaptation. “They just skimmed through the novel,” one viewer lamented. “I don’t think we read the same book,” another frustrated comment read, “it was a disaster,” another viewer complained. Indeed, internet users criticized the adaptation of All the Blue in the Sky for omitting many passages considered key by readers (the story of Tom Blue notably) “which mark turning points in the relationship” between the two characters. Emile’s character also disappointed fans of the novel, being “unbearable” in the film according to them. “I don’t recognize the character at all,” wrote one user, while others found him “more unpleasant” than in the book. However, the actors’ performances were praised, even by those who were unhappy with the script and character portrayal choices.

A Different Ending from the Novel

“It’s frustrating to watch the film because it lacks many significant and important elements of the story,” a fan commented. Particularly controversial was the ending, which infuriated internet users on the social network X: “it doesn’t match the novel at all.” Warning, spoilers: the telefilm ends with Emile’s death in front of a sunset, revealing shortly after that Joanne is pregnant with the man who became her partner during the trip. Earlier, she had informed Emile’s family that the end was near. “Changing the ending so drastically removes the charm of the journey we shared with them throughout the novel,” a fan decisively noted.

Before the release, author Mélissa da Costa expressed her approval on her Facebook account, while conceding that an adaptation always involves choices, cuts (necessary ones), and some liberties (which respond to script choices not necessarily apparent to the general public). “Yet I assure you, the soul of the novel is there, the emotion intact,” she stated.

What is the Plot of All the Blue in the Sky?

Emile learns he has a rare disease akin to Alzheimer’s and that he has only a few months left to live. He decides to leave everything behind to travel in an old camper van with a stranger, Joanne, who answered his ad. Their journey disrupts their certainties and sparks feelings they no longer hoped for.

Who Stars in All the Blue in the Sky?

• Camille Lou: Joanne
• Hugo Becker: Emile
• Marie Denarnaud: Isabelle
• Jeannine Vissac: Myrtille
• Karine Monneau: Anne
• Nelly Lawson: Chloé
• Marie Barraud: Marjorie
• Kevin Garnichat: Sébastian
• Greg Nardella: Marc
• Ludivine Bluche: Sophie
• Mickaël Coinsin: Baptiste
• César Allaigre: Paul
• Eva Recoquillon: Maëlle

Where to Stream All the Blue in the Sky?

All the Blue in the Sky is broadcast simultaneously on television and streaming. On January 27, 2025, TF1 airs the telefilm during prime time, while it is also available for streaming on Netflix, which co-produced it. To watch it, simply have a subscription to the streaming platform, with rates varying from $5.99 per month to $19.99 per month.