Before I Fall Offers Lessons for Teens

Viri Reyes, Staff Writer

Do you ever feel like you’re reliving the same day over and over again, that life has slowly become too much like the day before, almost like you’re following an insanely specific routine you know too well? Well imagine waking up everyday the same way, experiencing things for the second time, and worst of all, not being able to wake up from it, or understand why it’s even happening.

In the film “Before I Fall” Samantha Kingston, played by actress Zoey Deutch, lives in a happy, privileged world, where everything has always been easy for her. She’s the stereotypical popular girl at school who’s rude to her parents and little sister, while her friends, and handsome boyfriend keep her company as they all rule the school. She always gets invited to all of the high school parties, has boys worship her and her friends, and most importantly, highly regarded at their school, receives a ton of roses on “Cupid’s Day.”

Suddenly, when something tragic happens to Juliette, the girl Samantha and her friends have taunted since they were younger, Samantha finds herself waking up and sleeping at the same time everyday.

What I loved about this movie was that unlike others, there wasn’t a happy ending that everyone expects. This film was instead, brutally honest and rightfully so. Teenagers can be really mean, inconsiderate, and oblivious to people’s emotions. This movie perfectly illustrates why people need to start being mindful of words that are so easily thrown around.

I’ll be honest, I didn’t have high standards for the adaptation of this film just because I’m a believer that the book is always better. I didn’t think they would do such a good job at doing the book any justice. However, I was completely proven wrong because this movie left me speechless and shocked. The film speaks volumes about bullying and its consequences. This movie left such an impression on me, that even days after I’ve watched this movie, scenes still pop up making me think of the reality behind tormenting someone just because they look different than you.

Everyone- especially teenagers- need to see this movie because this perfectly illustrates how powerful words are and how those words affect others. It proves that if given a second chance, you should make it count. If you can change the way you treat someone, you should do it in a heartbeat.