Every once in a while, you find a movie that changes your life. Mine was "Titanic." But, for the sake of this article, it was also "Flipped," the 2010 film based on the novel by Wendelin Van Draanen. This story is a work of art, and for multiple reasons. It takes the concept of childhood love and turns it around completely: it annihilates superficiality and instead throws the spotlight on the idea of seeing a person for who they truly are. It weighs infatuation versus admiration, telling the story of Juli Baker and Bryce Loski, just a couple of kids who have conflicting feelings for each other in the backdrop of 1957, a setting that we all know produced the best possible soundtrack to the film. These life lessons allow us to appreciate the movie for what it truly is: a masterpiece.
1. "Every once in a while, you find someone who's iridescent. And when you do, nothing will ever compare."
Is there anything more beautiful or true than this quote? Find someone who's not like the rest of the crowd, who's personally and intellectually iridescent.
2. Physical beauty isn't as great as what's beneath the surface.
She didn't realize it then, but Juli's infatuation with Bryce was pretty superficial.
3. If you let your friends influence you, you'll probably regret it later.
In this scene, Juli could actually hear the conversation between the library shelves, so Bryce should've been more careful about what he said.
4. Be greater than the sum of your parts.
Be more than what people expect you to be.
5. Find beauty in unexpected places.
Juli starts to realize that Bryce was critical of her own beliefs and didn't see eye-to-eye with her perceptions of beauty.
6. Be happy and explore new things.
At this stage in the story, Juli has fallen out of love and moved on to other options, while Bryce is slowly realizing what he missed out on, and even Juli's laughter makes her compelling.
7. You do you.
The story is so genius because of the juxtaposition of both Juli and Bryce's feelings and how they change from start to finish, and it was thrilling to see this development.
8. We all have little idiosyncrasies that someone will obsess over someday.
Even if it's watermelon shampoo.
9. Find fulfillment in knowledge and in electrifying conversation.
Juli has no reservations holding her back from discussing perpetual motion and other complex theories with Bryce's grandfather.
10. Only apologize if you truly mean it.
Ok, listen. Juli has a mini chicken farm in her backyard, so she ever-so-generously brought the eggs to Bryce for his family to enjoy. Yet, like the ignorant fool he was, Bryce consistently threw out the eggs out of an irrational fear of salmonella. And he didn't even care, really. Of course, Juli eventually found out about the eggs being wasted. And that pretty much destroyed any final shreds of respect she had for Bryce.
11. You can never forget the feeling of your first childhood crush.
Way back in elementary school, we all had someone who we thought was in love with us--maybe it was a crush from pre-school to eighth grade like I had, or maybe it was just for a week after recess. But despite the initial sweetness of a crush, it's never worth it to get naively attached.
12. Stand up for what you believe in, even if you're alone.
At the top of the sycamore tree was Juli's peaceful place where she was fully aware of the vastness of nature surrounding her and her place in it. It was her haven of solitude and pure beauty. When it was threatened to be cut down in town, she knew she had to do everything she could to prevent that, even if it meant sitting in the tree alone as a protest to the tree-cutters below.
13. If things just won't work out, forget about it.
In the end, Juli simply didn't even care enough to want Bryce or his kiss anymore. She was finally free.
14. Cherish the time with your loved ones.
Again, the above is a quote you won't see in a typical teen movie. Juli has a special bond with her dad, and she learns a lot from both him and Uncle Daniel as she transitions from a girl to a young woman.
15. Sometimes, it's worth cultivating a new beginning.
At the end of the film, Juli finds Bryce planting a sycamore tree outside of her house spontaneously. It's a symbol of new growth and friendship, and it proved that a new beginning could be the perfect ending to the story.
In the end, we have a gloriously crafted film that is severely underrated and exponentially brilliant. From science classes to chicken eggs to bidding on boys for cute lunch dates to sycamore trees to fifties music and outfits and everything in between, this story is a gem. Whether you're 13 or 30 or 60, you can appreciate the profound lessons scattered throughout "Flipped."
