The Life List Ending Explained: Does Alex Complete Every Item on Her Life List?

Nivedita Dubey
March 31, 2025

Key Points:

In The Life List, Alex successfully completes every item on her life list except for one—finding true love—but still earns her inheritance.
Brad, who supports her throughout the year, ultimately turns out to be her true love.
Her mother’s will was designed to help Alex grow emotionally and reconnect with her past.

Does Alex Complete Every Item on Her Life List in The Life List?

Netflix’s romantic dramedy The Life List follows Alex Rose, a woman who embarks on a transformative journey to complete her childhood life list. The story revolves around her late mother’s will, which requires Alex to fulfill twelve personal goals she wrote down at age 13 in order to claim her inheritance. As the deadline of New Year’s Eve approaches, Alex faces multiple challenges, from uncovering family secrets to rediscovering lost passions. By the movie’s end, she completes all the tasks—though one comes with an unexpected twist.

How Does Alex Achieve Every Item on Her Life List?

Alex’s journey is both personal and emotional, requiring her to step out of her comfort zone. Some tasks—like getting a tattoo or performing stand-up comedy—are simple, while others, such as reconciling with her father and becoming a great teacher, prove much harder. Throughout the year, her support system, including Brad and her brothers, plays a crucial role in helping her complete the list.

Brad, who serves as the lawyer overseeing her mother’s will, assists Alex in ways beyond his legal duties. He finds her a teaching job at a women’s shelter, helps locate her biological father, and provides unwavering emotional support. Meanwhile, her brothers encourage her to complete sentimental tasks, like camping under a full moon, strengthening their sibling bond.

Why Didn’t Alex Think She Completed the Last Task?

The final item on Alex’s list—finding true love—proves the most challenging. She initially believes she has failed at this goal after breaking up with her boyfriend Finn and later realizing Garrett wasn’t the right person for her either. However, her mother had left a clause in the will, acknowledging that love isn’t something that can be forced within a year.

Ultimately, Alex realizes she has been in love with Brad all along. He meets all four of the love criteria her mother once outlined:

Is he kind?
Can you tell him everything in your heart?
Does he help you become the best version of yourself?
Can you imagine him as the father of your children?

By the time New Year’s Eve arrives, Brad’s unwavering support and genuine care make Alex understand that love isn’t about grand gestures—it’s about the person who stands by you.

What Is Alex’s Inheritance in The Life List?

Once Alex completes the list, she is handed an envelope containing her inheritance: her mother’s house and everything inside it. Additionally, her mother set up a trust fund to cover expenses, knowing Alex’s teaching career wouldn’t provide a high enough salary to maintain the property.

This decision shows that Elizabeth understood her daughter deeply. Alex had always been the most sentimental of her siblings, and the house represented family, history, and love. However, Elizabeth also ensured that Alex wouldn’t become trapped in grief by requiring her to complete the list before receiving the inheritance.

Why Did Alex and Her Father Have a Strained Relationship?

Alex’s estranged relationship with her father stems from her belief that he abandoned the family. Throughout The Life List, she carries resentment toward him, feeling unsupported and overlooked.

A crucial turning point occurs when Alex spends time with her biological father and brothers, who offer a fresh perspective. They reveal that Alex’s dad wasn’t as emotionally absent as she believed—he simply struggled to express his love. This revelation helps Alex reconcile with him, marking one of the most heartfelt moments of the film.

What Was the Source of Conflict Between Alex and Her Brother Julian?

Julian, Alex’s brother, appears dismissive and resentful toward her for most of the movie. It isn’t until a backyard camping scene under the full moon that he finally reveals the truth:

He had always felt like an outsider in their family dynamic, believing that Alex and their mom shared a special bond that excluded him. His resentment stemmed from jealousy, not actual dislike. Once they openly address this tension, their relationship improves, bringing another emotional resolution to Alex’s journey.

What Is the True Meaning of The Life List’s Ending?

At its core, The Life List is about self-growth, resilience, and rediscovering one’s passions. When the movie begins, Alex is stuck in a cycle of self-doubt and regret, having abandoned her dreams and settled for mediocrity. By forcing her to revisit her past goals, her mother’s list reignites her sense of purpose.

By the end of the film, Alex has:

Repaired her relationships with her father and brother.
Found fulfillment in her career as a teacher.
Reclaimed her sense of adventure by completing childhood dreams.
Discovered true love with Brad.

The final scene, in which Alex and Brad share a kiss at midnight, signifies not only the completion of her list but also the beginning of a new chapter—one where she lives with intention, love, and purpose.

Yes, Alex completes her life list, though the final task—finding true love—comes together in an unexpected way. The ending of The Life List is both romantic and deeply personal, showing that growth often comes from stepping outside of comfort zones and embracing life’s uncertainties.

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