THE PREMISE:

"Follows Riley, who has recently been released from rehab after struggling with her addictions to food and body image. She will meet Ethan and finds herself navigating the line between love and a new addiction." 

OUR MOVIE REVIEW:

When well-known actress Brittany Snow took the stage to present her directorial debut film Parachute at the 2023 SXSW Film & TV Festival, she was noticeably different. Vulnerable and nervous (she even made a point to say she was nervous) she talked about how much this story meant to her and many of her friends. I knew immediately this film would carry a lot of weight to it from that energy. 

Parachute follows Riley (Courtney Eaton) during the aftermath of her release from rehab and  how she attempts to ease herself back into a stable life. She was in rehab not for drugs but for an eating disorder and struggles with body image. Immediately we learn Riley has a strong relationship with her best friend, Casey (Francesca Reale), and has little support, other than financially, from her absent family. Pretty quickly Riley meets Ethan (Thomas Mann) and fixates on her new addiction. Riley knows that she is not supposed to enter into a relationship so quickly after leaving rehab, so the temptation of the forbidden definitely plays into the immediate attraction to Ethan. However, Ethan is understanding and sweet and although the two break a major rule at the start, they develop a genuine bond and friendship, although dependent and reliant. 

The film sends a strong message about dealing with addiction and mental health, but it should still come with a big trigger warning for those struggling with body image and eating disorders. The style and editing do a wonderful job of visually capturing what it’s like to be inside of RIley’s mind with her struggles. Flashes of extreme closeup of small body parts that Riley cannot seem to unfocus on while talking to anyone she is confronted with, to the downward spirals and panic attacks and flashbacks to moments with previous lovers and lowest moments of binge eating food from the garbage. These moments are not in flashy or your face though, they’re treated delicately and with an observant lens. 

Riley and Ethan have the type of relationship where you know the timing isn’t right, but you know you could be good for each other; one day, eventually, maybe? And they never seem to want to stray too far from the possibility of it, until they do. The struggle of attempting to come to terms with the one you love not being the one you should be with are what haunts this narrative, and you can feel it in the chemistry between Riley and Ethan, they long for each other but know better in the same moment. 

This is one watch not to be taken lightly, a roller coaster of emotions that ends on a positive note but will still pull at your heart strings. I hope this brings healing and understanding to all types of audiences, making people feel seen and understood, or being able to put a finger on something they could never quite really explain before, now thankfully captured in a narrative.