When most teenagers in her world are more concerned about their TikTok videos and being popular, Darby Harper is helping the dead cross over peacefully to the beyond. It is not easy balancing a demanding school life and a voluntary side hustle so it is no wonder that Darby is a loner. She is the kind of girl who likes to hang out with the “deados” because the living are a pain in her ass in most cases. Darby’s perfectly peaceful world is rocked when the most popular girl in her school, Capricorn, dies and it becomes her job to send her peacefully into the other world. The only problem is Capricorn doesn’t want to leave yet. She wants to enjoy one last time being Miss Popular before moving on. Like most teen movies, there is a mean girl who knows her fashion and is obsessed with being popular. There is also the loner who just wants to finish high school and put the traumatic years behind her. Something happens and their worlds merge and new alliances are formed. This is the blueprint for these movies and it works well in this one too. There is also the makeover scene where the loner is suddenly turned into a trendsetter and everyone is dying to be close to her. Who knew a neck choker is what you need to be in the cool people circle? Certainly not Darby, but she learns. I suppose having a fashionista ghost to help pick up your outfit has its benefits! Director Silas Howard is not new in the scene, he has been doing this since 2015 and he doesn’t disappoint in this project. The movie does a good job of portraying Gen Z teens with their obsession to document every moment of their lives. Every moment must be Instagrammable! Even with all the hullabaloo going on, the message of the movie is not lost on us. Moving on from loss and dealing with the waves of grief is not easy. Even though Darby helps many people cross over, the one person she wishes to see has never appeared to her. Finding closure requires a lot from us both mentally and emotionally. There are always things holding us back but to forge on, we must persevere. We will also need help and Darby finds the help she needs from Capricorn. This movie reminds us of all these but with a sense of humour and fashion to boot. If you are looking for a teen movie to enjoy other than Mean Girls then this is a decent option. Once again, Hollywood is proving you don’t always need to change the formula if it works. Read More: Darby and the Dead Ending Explained
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