This new movie on Netflix is ​​the perfect rom-com for the spooky season

The Halloween season is full of beloved traditions, from candy to costumes to movies. Of course, there are tons of horror movies to give you goosebumps in October, but some of the season’s biggest scares are actually bizarre. Tim Burton‘s catalog is filled with family-friendly Halloween classics and Hocus pocus remains the masterpiece of the season. While sequels to these projects gave audiences a nostalgic return to the imaginative genre, this style has become increasingly rare in modern times.

However, that changed with Netflix Girl chases boy. Related to Cesar Vitale‘s novel, It offers a modern twist on the genre and tackles complex themes in a way that only a Halloween film can.

“Girl Haunts Boy” is a unique twist on Halloween movies

Girl chases boy contains all the elements you need to make a great Halloween picture, from ghosts to curses. However, it’s anything but a Burton-style rip-off. This is followed by Bea (Peyton list), a 1920s teenager with a mischievous side. On a trip to a museum she comes across a two-piece ring and takes half of it. By separating the ring, Bea is placed under a curse that kills her and condemns her to haunt her family home forever. In the present day she meets Cole (Michael Cimino), a teenager grieving the loss of his father.

The friendship between a teenager and a supernatural being is a classic scenario for this genre, but Girl chases boy quickly gives it its own touchwhen the two fall in love. Although this is reminiscent of the Halloween classic, Casperthe relationship between Cole and Bea has depth. Each of them has new knowledge to offer, helps each other deal with their respective griefs, and makes each other better people overall. From Bea expanding Cole’s understanding of a life long ago and teaching him to live life to the fullest, to Cole helping Bea feel seen and freedom for the first time in a century she has been longing for, her story is so delightful and satisfying to watch.

But the nature of their relationship poses a high level of risk from the start. Considering how good they are to each other, it’s hard not to root for them, but given Bea’s supernatural existence and the added intrigue of the curse that keeps her bound to Earth, There is a constant worry about whether the lovers can really have a happily ever after. Even if you don’t necessarily expect any intensity when entering the film, Bea’s desire to break her curse, coupled with the fragility of those involved if she succeeds, ensures such a raw intensity that reaches its peak thanks to Cimino’s skills .

Michael Cimino brings Cole’s complexity to life

Michael Cimino is no stranger to the themes of the mash-up genre Girl chases boy. After all, he had already fought against demons in his life Annabelle comes home and found young love in it All the best, Victor. But Cole allowed the actor to explore the deep complexities he mastered, cementing the picture’s deeper meaning. While the mystery of Bea’s curse drives the film, It is Cole’s deep grief that creates twists and ultimately conveys her message.

Cole’s obvious despair over his father’s death automatically makes him a character that audiences want to root for. His self-imposed isolation and rejection of his former passions reveal a deeply broken soul, and the joy that Bea brings into his life is something very special. Cimino plays the contrast so naturally despite the film’s relatively short running time. He doesn’t bother with the typical Disney Channel charm that often plagues teen films, instead relying on a sense of reality to create both Cole’s depression and his happiness. It helps anchor even the film’s most extraordinary scenes and almost makes you forget that you’re watching a Halloween movie that involves a ghost, creating a greater sense of relativity.

There are many more complications to the character, even beyond those previously mentioned. When Cole finds out that he can break Bea’s curse by reuniting the ring she stole with his other half as it is up for public auction, he decides not to tell Bea and initially sentences her to a spirit to remain. It would be easy for Cole to seem immature and selfish, but Cimino subverts expectations again by taking Cole to an even darker place. The performance is so likeable that viewers really understand why Cole can’t let Bea go. Not the audience want to see Cole lose her even though she deserves her freedom.

The film has a surprisingly melancholic ending to an otherwise happy film, with Bea and Cole parting ways after one last loving kiss. Of course, this only serves Cole’s character, as he realizes that “it’s better to have loved and lost,” which ultimately helps him live with his father’s death as well. Cimino hits the mark with his heartfelt farewell to the life he expected, and it is – in no small way –Thanks to this performance, the message of the film really comes through: You never get over the loss of a loved one, you just learn to live with it and remember them well.

Girl chases boy is available to stream on Netflix in the US

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