Brittany Snow's directorial debut film, Parachute, is an emotional film about what it is like when your mind isn't right. The film follows Riley, a young woman who just got out of rehab for an eating disorder. While in recovery, Riley meets Ethan, and the two hit it off. Although she isn't supposed to date, the two quickly fall into a complicated relationship, on again off again, will they won't they type realtionshp. It is not messily a unique formula. However, what separates Parachute from other films is how it deals with a person struggling with mental health. While romance is certainly a part of the movie, it really is a film about going through a mental health crisis. I won't give anything away because I feel this is a film that it is better to go into blind. However, I will say that it is interesting that this film starts with Riley getting out of rehab and that it really is just the start of her mental journey and healing. Now, I have to say, as a Brittany Snow fan, it's impossible to watch this movie and not see her story in Riley. Brittany Snow is by far my favorite actor (and now my favorite director). However, her story about how she overcame her eating disorder and her work with mental health is what has made her a hero to me. Knowing she went through what Riley did in real life makes the film more authentic. Riley even wears a ladybug bracelet on her right wrist, like how Brittany has a ladybug tattoo on that same wrist. It also feels like a movie Brittany would make, from its themes of mental health to how it uses photos to tell the passage of time. It all feels very Brittany Snow. From a technical standpoint, the acting is all great. Courtney Eaton and Thomas Mann have great chemistry, and it made me appreciate them more as actors. The sounding cast is great, too, with amazing actors, such as Gina Rodriguez, Joel McHale, Dave Bautista, and Kid Cudi (all of whom are friends with Brittany). Also, it warmed my heart to see two of the Bellas from Pitch Perfect, Kelley Jackle and Chrissie Fit, in the film. Now, this is not an easy watch, especially if you have had struggles with mental health. I would recommend watching it when you are in a good place, mentally, like you would with a sad dog movie. But it's so good it needs to be seen, and the conversations about what to do when your mind is not working right are so important, especially now in a world with 24/7 social media access. All in all, my biggest takeaway is something Brittany Snow once said. "Maybe the voice inside your mind isn't right,"- Brittany Snow.
