A movie about a teenage boy who has a conversation with ghosts. “Darby and the Dead” it is extremely depressing. Writer Becca Greene (“Good Vibes”Silas Howard (dir.“Dickinson”) casually kill off Darby Harper’s mother in the first minute, spend most of the movie requiring Darby (Riele Downs) to change her entire personality, And then proceed to punish her for following the path they’ve set.
Though the film seems designed to exploit a new generation’s affection for movies like “Clueless,” “Mean Girls,” “Bring it On” and “Ferris Bueller’s Day Off,” The messages that these beloved films conveyed to filmmakers are completely lost on them. Plus, there’s so much YA streaming content these days that lazily patched-together projects feel, well, extra lazy.
Even Downs, so appealing on Nickelodeon’s “Henry Danger,” can’t fight the forces of this soulless script (which was based on a potentially promising story idea by Wenonah Wilms). As Darby, she’s a sharply observant high school loner who’s happy to hang out with her dad (an underused Derek Luke) and the aforementioned dead folks. She has the ability to spot souls who are trying to reach the other side, having briefly lost her mother to drowning several years back. She’s dedicated her life to helping them, sharing final messages with their loved ones to bring peace to both living and dead.
Capri, the head cheerleader (“Moana” star Auli’i Cravalho, perfectly cast) dies, things get complicated. Although Capri and Darby used to be friends, they grew apart before Capri began electrocuting herself with her flatiron. When she realizes Darby can still see her, she’s determined to make the most of it: even if no one else knows she’s there, she wants to stick around long enough to see her own memorial party become viral.
Darby resists, of course; she’s more comfortable playing chess with two friendly ghosts (Tony Danza and Wayne Knight) who have higher-minded motives for remaining on Earth. But Capri is used to getting her way, and a little poltergeisting — in which her public humiliations of Darby are played for laughs — works wonders.
Her plan is to make Darby popular enough to convince Capri’s friends to throw the big bash. This also includes: “full head-to-toe glow up,” Darby trades in her jeans and teshirts for mini skirts and makeup. Also, she becomes a cheerleader, improves her selfies and gets to kiss her unpopular crush (Chosen Jaks). “It”) and earns eggplant emojis from creepy guys who’d previously ignored her. Her nonchalant reply is this: “any press is good press,” which may tell you all you need to know about the movie’s mindset.) Soon she’s stalking the halls like an unholy Heather, and dismissing the dead with impatient annoyance.
Darby eventually learns, however, that it is not worth following trends. She has the freedom to pursue her passions, choose her hobbies, and is free to make her own decisions about how she spends her time.
JK.
In the end, she ends up feeling terrible about her past self and experiences a third-act epiphany. “just an insecure hater,” “closed-minded” And “a freak show,” Contrary to “special” Capri. With everyone criticizing her old introversion and praising her new style and personality, it’s no surprise she keeps the Capri-designed friends, focus, and fashion.
It is an awful look for modern movies aimed at girls. A script that doesn’t care about its characters is the worst. The filmmakers make up for it by using catchy words that only adults would use to describe their characters. (“I’d rather spend my time with the unliving than the unwoke,” Darby says this before she is gaslighted by the plot to sell herself.
There’s also some halfhearted, brief backpedaling at the very end. “Social media makes us feel insecure about the way we look, for the sole purpose of selling us stuff we don’t need,” Darby lectures her dad, when he gives her the selfie light kit she’s requested. Her movie could have been said the exact same thing. Darby as well as Downs should be treated better. They deserve better.
“Darby and the Dead” Hulu premieres Dec. 2