Darby and the Dead is another cringy teen movie that embellishes and unrealistically reflects adolescent behaviors. 

Darby and the Dead is about a teenage girl who can see and talk to spirits after a near-death experience in her childhood. She makes a job out of spending spirits’ loved ones a final goodbye. The popular girl dies and has the main character, Darby, help execute her big “Sweet 17” party.

The plot of the movie itself was not intriguing either way. It is just another clique movie where the outcast is transformed by the popular girl but is then blinded by her popularity. 

Leading actress, Riele Downs, prior to this atrocity of a film, was in the popular Nickelodeon TV Show, Henry Danger, which was one of the best of its time. 

It is evident that she has downgraded the quality of film production since her time on the show. 

Not only was the show completely unrealistic, but the acting was also poor and lifeless. Downs seemed emotionless throughout the whole film and kept a constant monotone voice. Downs’ character even tried to seem edgy and careless, but this was executed very poorly. 

The movie also used many “Gen Z” terms that were overdone and difficult to hear. One of the worst being, “You’re totally gaslighting me right now.”

The only emotion evoked from this movie was anger because of how bad everything was, from the chronically unfunny jokes to the out-of-date fashion choices. Overall, it was out of touch and will not be winning a Golden Globe any time soon.