Girl Haunts Boy, directed by Emily Ting, is such a young adult love story you didn’t think you needed, and which is ideal for those who are looking for something more heartwarming about Halloween rather than being terrified. I wish it were a more straightforward romance, as there would be a clearer happy ending message, but I still appreciate what this film provides as a pleasure to watch. A treat from the title, Girl Haunts Boy is based on the book by Cesar Vitale which is coming up.
Starring Peyton List and Michael Cimino, Girl Haunts Boy is an exceptionally well written and delicately moving film about the interweaving of memory and history in the context of mourning. This will suit anyone and everyone who enjoys Taylor Swift’s song of Invisible String; that people destined to be together will always find a way regardless of time or distance. It is set for lovers of Julie and the Phantoms By Julie and the Phantoms Netflix also.
Amidst the many technological marvels, there is a great tenderness in the film that seeps into every corner of the film and ensures that every moment of the story serves as a building block. The promo does make it appear as though it’s going to be a simple romantic movie (a fact that I would have gladly saturated myself with), but I was wrong for this too, and how wrong I was to expect that it will be a powerful study of loss which seeks to explore how the passions that are stifled by grief find expression through love.
Cole does not sing ever since his dad died, but being in the presence of Bea’s spirit makes him realize that he could honor the memories of both of them by being true to himself. Okay, I guess it’s a little melodramatic but isn’t it the case that that is what all of us strive for when we go through such a devastating loss? A belief that those whom we hold dear will always be there every time we look for them. Such explanations of life and death, that we so often do not know how to deal with at all.
Moreover, Boy Gets Girl uses F Scott Fitzgerald’s The Great Gatsby to illustrate how people pursue their own pasts and depict the need to comprehend themselves in the context of the contemporary world. It also touches on the important theme of nostalgia and idolization of moments and people who left us, and in this situation, the idealizing of Cole and Bea is quite warranted as they are indispensable in each other’s development. It can be felt as emotional and gritty.
Moreover, it is also a nice touch to connect Bea’s being trapped by the ring and at the same time, being taken to travel with Cole. We may not have a happy ending with the two of them remaining alive and well, but still a new, wonderful friendship flourishes. We see two sad and shattered souls who have appealed for a chance to twirl around and let all their worries go. You have a chance to live again, and whilst Bea’s is much more direct, Cole’s journey is about the grief that accompanies the death of love. It is quiet and not so pronounced, but that is how depression and pain manifest themselves.
This is the kind of film that could turn out to be zany and lighthearted but the acting makes it powerful and heartfelt. I really found it hard to swallow the reality of them separating, so kudos to List and Cimino for delivering those heartbreaking goodbyes that just left me speechless. It made the climax feel all the more deserved and intricate.
The spookiness in Girl Haunts Boy is not only the gripping storyline but also the depth of warmth hidden in each scene which makes it perfect for Halloween.
The onscreen friendship that lasts is believable, soft, and fragile, with moments of comedy stemming from one who has emerged from the past and into the present time.
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