"A Sacrifice for Love

What do you get when you cross a Nicolas Sparks book with a taste of John Green’s quirkiness and character attitudes? Exactly, Midnight Sun. It can make you feel a whole new world of emotions in just under 2 hours. A very refreshing movie in this sea of dark cinematography and plain faces.

It all starts with a girl named Katie Price (Bella Thorne). She was diagnosed with the genetic disease called Xeroderma Pigmentosum, or also known as XP. The disease is technically an extreme sensitivity to sunlight where the slightest ray could give you multiple organ failures and also skin cancer.

Katie wanted to be the normal girl she always wanted, but genetically couldn’t. Tinted windows, dimmed lights, plus the limited availability of going out at night. With the help of her dad, Jack Price (Rob Riggle), she was able to do some normal-girl things, like going to school or movie nights, etc. And of course, what’s a sick main actress going to do without her quirky and fun sidekick? Morgan (Quinn Shephard) had become Katie’s best friend ever since they were little and that she was the only outsider that could visit the sickly girl, until Charlie came.

Just as Katie planned to head out to play music at the pier, Charlie Reed (Patrick Schwarzenegger), was partying the last of his senior year. But instead, he decided to head out for some fresh air. For the record, Katie had this really huge crush on Charlie every time the guy passes through the gal’s window. So imagine what Katie’s face was like when she saw Charlie watching her play the guitar and singing her own composition. Well, if you couldn’t exactly imagine it, she just technically sped off back to her house and not look at the guy’s face. Romantic, right?

Fortunately for Charlie, Katie left her journal which also contained most of her songs at the pier. Kind of sounds like a Cinderella story. To his dismay, it was Morgan who decided to pick up the book. But becoming the cupid that she was, she found a way to make the two meet up. That’s where the spark happened.

Many night dates and cuddles later, the two grew inseparable, with Katie even introducing him to her dad. They had adventures of their own. The only problem? Katie hadn’t told him about the XP yet. So when they had their most romantic date, which included watching the sunrise, she ran off quickly to her house as the rays were hitting her from behind. Charlie also looked confused as he got locked out of Katie’s house as it could’ve been the last time Katie would ever go out.

A check with the doctor and some symptoms found out that her body was now deteriorating quickly. Charlie, who had just found out about it, felt guilty and thought that he should’ve known better. With Jack’s permission, Katie was able to cherish the, possibly, last moments of her life with the guy that she loves, other than her dad. But as the symptoms grew unstoppable, she decided to end everything up with a last taste of the sun on a yacht with Charlie. What she always dreamed of. That’s where most people cried.

These are several soundtracks that sparked popularity between readers and movie viewers: First in line is “Walk With Me”. This is the song composed by Katie Price to Charlie and was also the song on the radio when Charlie was driving just after saying goodbye to Katie’s father. The song is trying to tell the listeners that even in hard times, you should not give up. Katie considers Charlie as the person who walked with her during the times she feels alone. Second is “Where I Stand”. This was played during the time when Katie meets Charlie at the harbour with her dad and Morgan. This was the scene when she embraced the sun for the first time. Lastly is “Burn So Bright”. A song filled with emotions. This was Katie’s signature anthem.

Great cinematography and a vibrant view on an unknown deadly disease. It gives the people some awareness on the disease and how it affects thousands of people every day. There are a lot of Katies out there and it must be really time to focus on the cure on this genetic disorder. The movie has made the viewer’s laugh, cry, frustrated, and a lot of other emotions, just goes to show how deep the movie’s plot line is and how the actors portrayed their parts well. Kudos as well to the audio team for an amazing soundtrack which went along well with the movie’s theme. It will leave you just a simple wondering:

If Katie sacrificed her life for love, how much would you be willing to sacrifice?