Midnight Sun, directed by Scott Speer, adapted from the screenplay of 2006 Japanese film of the same name, is an emotional rollercoaster that tugs at the audience’s heartstrings from beginning to end.
Midnight Sun tells the story of 17-year-old Katie Price (portrayed by Bella Thorne) who suffers from an incurable disease known as Xeroderma Pigmentosum, or XP, which means she cannot be exposed to sunlight otherwise she could develop skin cancer and other deadly side effects.
So, Katie is forced to live her life behind shielded windows in her house, home-schooled by her father (Rob Riggle) who encourages her love for music, to the extent at which she plays music for passers-by at her local train station at night, as long as she returns home before her curfew.
Whilst playing her guitar, she meets Charlie (Patrick Schwarzenegger) who is the stereotypical American jock with a heart, convincingly sensitive to Katie’s condition once he discovers the truth. They begin a whirlwind romance, with only one problem – Katie doesn’t tell Charlie the truth about her condition.
If you can look past the fact that it’s unrealistic for Charlie not to realise there’s something wrong with Katie when they only ever meet up and maintain their relationship after the sun has gone down, then this film is highly enjoyable (if you ignore the countless tears you’ll no doubt cry), giving off remnants of ‘The Fault in our Stars’ or ‘A Walk to Remember’. Yes, there are some people that will argue it is romanticizing terminal illness, but the story is convincing and realistic enough for you to overlook that fact.
Thorne demonstrates her Disney-like singing abilities throughout the movie, as well as her realistic and heart-breaking representation of a terminally ill teenager, whilst Schwarzenegger and Riggle complete the ensemble, crafting a cast that effectively adds a light dash of humour into such a sad and heart-wrenching story.
It is undeniable that the rare disease which affects one in a million people, of which only one in five of those affected reach it past their 20th birthday, needed such exposure. Making more people aware of such conditions can only be a positive thing.
If you’re after a film that’s almost guaranteed to make you laugh and cry at least once, with a message of ‘carpe diem’ at its core, then this one is for you. But remember to bring the tissues.
By Faith Pring