Midnight Sun
2018 · Directed by Scott Speer
Original language: English
- romance
- drama
The story
Katie, a 17-year-old, has been sheltered since childhood and confined to her house during the day by a rare disease that makes even the smallest amount of sunlight deadly. Fate intervenes when she meets Charlie and they embark on a summer romance.
What it’s like
Bright, saturated daylight alternates with dim, shuttered interiors, so the film feels like a sunlit summer kept behind blinds. Seattle appears in cool grey-green and washed-out blue, then warms into honeyed golden-hour glow whenever the couple finally gets outside, with swimming pools, train platforms and open streets shot in soft, glossy digital. Camera work is mostly steady and close, with easy handheld moments during the romance, and the score leans on bright acoustic guitar and pop songs that give the summer scenes a breezy lift. Vibe: tender, sun-warmed and wistful, with a melancholy undertow. It suits a rainy afternoon, a comfort watch with a box of tissues, or a low-key evening when you want something sweet and sad. The pacing is unhurried, the emotional register sincere and openly sentimental, and the arc follows two young people who grow closer while a looming illness shadows every hour they spend together. Intensity is gentle: no violence or gore, a little kissing and mild sensuality, and grief and illness handled with heartfelt sadness rather than dread. Made for viewers who want a earnest teen love story with plenty of sunshine and a good cry.
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