Cinematography

I have so many thoughts about this movie, especially about Dani as a character. After finishing the movie I realized how likable she is, she was incredibly understanding, caring, and emotionally mature. A large part of how everyone saw her was as “just a little girl” and that’s where most of her problems came from in her relationships. Court and Dani’s family kept using it as a way to put her down when the worst part is COURT WAS MORE IMMATURE THAN SHE WAS. Even though Court was my least favorite character but for some reason I was still hoping for the chance that him and Dani would end up together eventually. Mostly for Dani because she was experiencing her first love. Even though Court was unkind at first, and didn’t treat her well, Dani loved him. Maureen on the other hand, was not and chose to sleep with her sister’s first love even though she could’ve had any guy she wanted. It makes me SEETHE when I think about it, she knew how much she liked Court. She wronged her sister in so many ways but I don’t like the fact that people only hate Maureen when it was both her and Court who betrayed Dani. It honestly makes me sick to my stomach, I can’t even imagine what I’d do in Dani’s situation but I can promise you I would not be as forgiving as she was. He reaction to her dad hitting her after her mom got hurt really tells you everything about her personality, she understood how her dad was feeling, that he was scared, didn’t know how to show it, and even apologized to him. That shows me how emotionally mature and selfless she was. Especially when you compare that apology to Maureen’s apology to Dani after she slept with Court and unintentionally caused his death. The way Maureen apologized to her “Dani I’m SORRY, we didn’t mean to hurt you, I love you and I need us still to be close.” The way she said it just sounded so… ugh I can’t even explain it. It reminded me of when adults apologize to toddlers just so they won’t be upset anymore not because they actually care. She made it sound like Dani was overreacting and didn’t know how to properly handle her feelings like a child would, which obviously is not true. Her apology was meant to be genuine but the way it came off was just dismissive. She didn’t have any proper comfort compared to Maureen too. Her parents were only comforting Maureen when she only knew him for like 2 days but Dani spent the whole summer with Court??! The worst part is Dani’s dad was basically telling her that she should forgive her sister because it’s not going to bring back Court anyways?? I understand where he’s coming from, wanting to keep his family together but she deserved better considering she was younger than Maureen either way. The only other thing I will talk about is the scene where Maureen is crying on Courts grave and Dani goes over to comfort her by letting her cry in her lap because it is so important to the story. It signifies how she forgave her, felt compassion, and how their grief brought them closer in the end. It’s supposed to come off as bittersweet but I can’t bring myself to fully feel it because I feel a sort of injustice for Dani. They acted like she was a child and immature constantly but when it comes time to actually treat her like a child (by comforting her and protecting her) they think that she doesn’t need it… Overall it’s hard to fully sympathize with everyone who treated Dani so harshly and I believe she didn’t deserve to go through so much, so young and not have the proper support.