At the beginning of this year, a film which I did not expect much from really took me by surprise. Midnight Sun, to me resembling the movie Everything Everything from 2017 (which I was not a fan of), explored the possible reality of having a disease that hinders someone from being exposed to the outside world and how she deals with everyday life.

XP (Xeroderma pigmentosum) is a sun-related disease that affects one in 250,000 people, and anyone diagnosed with XP is affected by even the slightest ray of sunlight, with a life expectancy of only 29. The 2018 film Midnight Sun tells the story of a 17-year-old girl who has this rare disease and spends her entire life behind special windows, only able to go outside at night.

Being called the Vampire Girl since school started, Katie Price (Bella Thorne) grows up lonely until she meets her lifelong best friend Morgan (Quinn Shephard). One night, Price goes out to the train station where she likes to sing and play her guitar. She is shocked when she looks up to see the boy she has been watching ride his skateboard outside her bedroom window for years standing right in front of her. Charlie (Patrick Schwarzenegger) takes an interest to this girl who has been living in his neighborhood for years, confused as to why they have never crossed paths.

The two begin to spend more time together, obviously at night due to Price’s disease, however she keeps her secret from Charlie. She wants to have more time to be “more than just a disease.” This plan stabs her in the back when they fall asleep outside one night and cut it way too close getting Price back inside in the morning

This movie made me appreciate Thorne as an actress much more; it is definitely my favorite thing I have seen her in. It was a contrast from other movies of hers I have watched where she has previously played the villain or antagonist in the story. This movie really showed her diversity as an actress, and that she can play much more than one type of role. She is fit for anything that is thrown at her, whether her character is shy, rude, violent, friendly, etc.

Not only was I impressed by Thorne’s acting, but the rising star who plays Charlie also gave an incredible performance. This was his first lead role, and individuals may recognize him as former governor or California Arnold Schwarzenegger’s son. These two together had great chemistry and were able to pull off this movie, though similar to Stella Meghie’s Everything Everything, quite well. The two were very close in plot, but had different plot twists throughout.

If you are the sappy romantic type and you would like to see how it ends, Midnight Sun is the movie for you.