Not Okay
Might contain spoilers.
Unflinching and extremely well done. This is a confident story that simultaneously races towards an obvious conclusion and offers hints of uncertainty. It examines society’s obsession with celebrities and influencers, showing a world that’s always searching for a new victim to push into the spotlight. The film veers into strange territory with Danni’s explicit sexual encounter with Colin, but only briefly.[1]
Zoey Deutch expertly walks a fine line as an obnoxious and unappealing protagonist who nevertheless commands sympathy; witness both her reaction to the vitriol directed at her and her attempts to appropriate queer culture. The experiences and trauma that shaped her are clear, yet never excuses.
I don’t think I’ve ever seen Adobe Photoshop, specifically, be a plot point before. Danni leaving her laptop open and unguarded at work is one of the stupidest ways possible for her to get her comeuppance. It’s also silly how easily Harper outfoxes her at the party. Considering how much effort Danni put into her deception, how could she possibly not have checked the basic details of the day, like the weather and what she supposedly saw there?
The ending is brilliant. I wondered briefly whether it would end in a similarly hilarious and
hauntingly abrupt manner to the superb Emergency, but this was
even better. Danni disappearing into the shadows after Rowan excoriates her onstage is beautifully
done. The music is good throughout too. (The voices chanting Finale
after the appropriate
title card made me giggle.)
- While Dylan O’Brien is very good in the role, I don’t know what all the time spent on his character adds to the story.↩