Like most other couples in the universe, my boyfriend and I liked to spend our weekends watching movies. And during this past weekend's cinematic adventure, we decided to give Christopher Landon's mystery/slasher film "Happy Death Day" a try. I had seen the commercials but it was one of those movies that you think looks good and you say you're going to go see but never get around to it. It seemed like it was in theaters one minute, gone the next, and I had heard no one talking about it which subconsciously confirmed that it wasn't worth watching. But boy was I wrong! Here is your official SPOILER warning!
"Happy Death Day" tells the story of sorority socialite, Tree Gelbman, and her experience of being murdered on her birthday and to her surprise, she wakes up at the beginning of the same day only to be murdered again causing her to wake up on the morning of her birthday yet again, and you can see where this is going right? We're talking Bill Murray's "Groundhog Day," but with murder and a "who did it?" mystery that's being solved by the victim herself. For me, this was an original spin on a classic movie plot and honestly I loved it. But what really made the movie work for me was the character Tree herself.
Tree goes under some major character development from being the beginning to the end of the movie. As the movie begins, Tree is unbearably mean to those around her and is clearly only concerned with her own image, benefit, and life; no one else is on her radar. As twisted as it is, my boyfriend and I found ourselves rooting for the killer at this point because I kid you not, she was insufferable. But as the film progresses, she becomes a more likable character as this predicament that she is stuck in clearly changes her outlook on life and her attitude. During her quest to find her killer, she becomes aware of the negative impact that she has had on those around her when she realizes that there is an endless list of people who would want to do her harm.
Tree eventually reveals in a moment of self awareness that her mother had passed away three years ago and she doesn't think that her mom would like the person that she had become. This is a beautifully heart wrenching moment that shifts your view of Tree from annoying socialite to a likable character. From this scene forward, Tree treats others differently. She signs a petition for a girl who Tree had ignored and quite literally pushed out of the way since the beginning of the movie, she attempts to offer a clean slate of friendship to her roommate, and reconciles with her father whom she had been dodging since her mother's death.
This character growth development helped shape Tree into a character that you root for and that you want to see achieve that happy ending. I found her transition from beginning to end to be absolutely astounding and honestly one of the best parts of the film. It's enjoyable as an audience member to witness the growth of a character from start to finish. There is no static and no immobility, but continuous shaping and fluidity. This helps audience members enjoy not just the plot but the characters themselves because we get to see them grow, change, and become a different person because of their story. Other movies today could take a lesson on what it means to effectively deliver character development from Christopher Landon's "Happy Death Day."
