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What it's about:
17-year-old Katie Price is sheltered at home since childhood with a rare genetic condition – a life-threatening sensitivity to sunlight. Having only her father Jack for company, Katie’s world opens up after dark when she ventures outside to play her guitar. One night, her dreams come true when she’s noticed and asked out by her longtime crush, Charlie, whom she’s secretly watched from her bedroom window for years. As they embark on nightly summer excursions, Katie’s risk from sunlight grows and she’s presented with the gut-wrenching dilemma of whether she can live a normal life with her newfound soulmate.
What we thought:
Who doesn’t love a good tear-jerker every now and then?
Midnight Sun ticks all the right boxes when it comes to a sad and soppy teenage movie, and besides the fact that it tells a story we’ve already heard, it’s still a good watch.
I’ll admit, I’m a sucker for emotional dramas with a side of romance so, this story about Katie (Bella Thorne) suffering from a fatal illness who then finally gets to be with her biggest crush Charlie (Patrick Schwarzenegger) was right up my ally.
But I must admit, as much as the film wanted to be a unique, sad, inspiring and beautiful story it’s just another Everything, Everything/Fault in Our Stars wannabee.
Bella did a good job at convincing me that she was just a home-schooled graduate dying to be a normal teen for once and also, literally dying, and did a good job at narrating Katie’s emotional story.
But Patrick, sadly, fell short playing Charlie. He’s totally adorable and so handsome at the same time but his acting chops need a little work. Having said that I wasn’t completely turned-off during his screen time, he is nice to look at after all.
Rob Riggle, who plays Katie’s dad Jack, really surprised me. I am used to seeing him in lighter, more comedic roles but he managed to bring tears to my eyes as the overprotective dad just looking out for his daughter. I was definitely sending Bluetooth hugs his way when the credits started rolling.
Katie’s bestie Morgan (Quinn Shephard) and her geeky boyfriend Garver (Nicholas Coombe) round up the characters you’d expect to see in a film like this and they do the job you expect them to do.
Beautifully filmed, well scripted, and not terribly cast, Midnight Sun is no Walk To Remember but is still a good watch.
