By: Ava Rogha
Have you ever noticed that most dramas are predictable and clichéd?
Although we love seeing romance blossoming between two strangers and then falling apart, we have never seen one person grow fund of different people in a very short amount of time. That brings me to Every Day (2018), which is a romantic drama/fantasy with a twist, based on a novel by David Levithan with the same title.
The main character of the story, “A”, does not belong to a specific body. It is neither a girl nor a boy, or non-binary.
“A” is just a person who wakes up in different bodies every single day. It always wakes up as a 16 year old, and it only gets one day with each person.
It may sound complicated, but every day you will be introduced to a new body with "A"’s personality. And every day “A” has the chance to re-introduce itself to Rhiannon (Angourie Rice), its crush.
"I wake up thinking of yesterday. The joy is in remembering; the pain is in knowing it was yesterday."
The movie starts with “A” waking up in Justin’s (Justice Smith) body, who is currently dating Rhiannon. Although Justin hasn’t always treated Rhiannon with the respect that she deserves, “A” completely changes their relationship for the best by giving her an unforgettable day disguised as her not so loving boyfriend!
However, this dream date does not last for long as Justin and Rhiannon’s cold relationship returns to normal. And Justin’s back to being a jerk again…
What Rhiannon is unaware of however, is that the boy she fell in love with yesterday, is still around today, but this time in the body of an exchange student Amy (Jeni Ross)!
Amy befriends Rhiannon just to spend some more time with her, even if it’s not romantically. And so the cycle goes on until “A” finally decides to explain to Rhiannon that all this time she’s been spending time with the same person, but just in different bodies. And this time, "A" is living in the body of a 16 year old girl called Megan (Katie Douglas).
Naturally, Rhiannon is confused and needs proof to believe something as unbelievable as this. Therefore, “A” shows up as a different person called James (Jacob Batalon) the next day to prove everything to Rhiannon.
“I am always amazed by people who know something is wrong but still insist on ignoring it, as if that will somehow make it go away. They spare themselves the confrontation, but end up boiling in resentment anyway.”
After a short while, Rhiannon finally accepts the existence of “A” and starts bonding with it rather than the people “A” is portrayed as. As the two grow closer, they plan a trip to her uncle’s cabin where they have the chance to spend some alone time.
This time, “A” appears as a super handsome guy called Xavier (Colin Ford), who is the perfect fit for their time away. They spend the first night together, but “A” disappears the next day as it wakes up in a completely different body. So, the remaining question is, will Rhiannon be able to commit to someone who wakes up as a different person every day?
In addition to the much rooted for romance between Rhiannon and “A”, plenty of other important themes are explored, such as teenage suicide and how to deal with it, LGBTQ and the importance of honesty. This movie is definitely a good and educational watch for people of all ages, but it's mostly directed towards youngsters.
"It's one thing to fall in love. It's another to feel someone else fall in love with you, and to feel a responsibility toward that love."
I would recommend reading the novel before you give the movie a go. The novel gives you an idea of “A”’s personality, even though “A” doesn’t exist in the body of an actual person. “A”’s perspective is also made clear to the reader, which is something we can’t see as strongly in the movie. The movie is rather fast paced and action filled, and I can say with certainty that I enjoyed both.
You may have noticed that a lot of other movie actors are often way too old for their roles. However, Every Day has successfully casted people fit for their ages, which makes this movie so much more realistic and fun to watch!
And despite its teenage cast, I would recommend this movie to people of all ages who enjoy romantic dramas. This may not be anything like your classic Nicholas Sparks movie, but it's a great change.
It is definitely not your typical amateur teenage movie, and you will be positively surprised by its original plot when you give it a shot! Check it out now on Amazon Prime.
“I notice you, I want to say. Even when no one else does, I do. I will.”
Comments