Review of Better Days (2019) by Jluis_001 — 20 Mar 2021

''Is it my fault they bullied me? ''I'm sorry you went through all that, but if you had trusted the adults, we could have helped you''

''Who could have helped? The ones who recorded me? The ones who witnessed it all? Or the ones who blame me for being a victim?''

''So, you did justice by your own hand?

You confronted your abuser and took revenge.''

''Revenge may seem normal to most people.

But those of us who have suffered. Are we the ones who are wrong?

This dialogue from the final act of this movie was perhaps the one that got me thinking a lot.

Bullying is a recurring theme in film, but the approaches rarely show the complete fracture of the person who is being abused.

A mental and social fracture that ends up turning them into perpetual victims by committing a crime when they finally explode.

And many times we say: Why was nothing done to stop this situation? Why didn't they help them?

And sadly, by the time the "grown-up" people want to help, it's already too late.

A vicious cycle that repeats itself constantly. Better Days is not a subtle movie on the subject, but sometimes it's necessary to hit the audience in a certain way so that they somehow decide to tackle the issue themselves.

This is a tough, sad and uncomfortable movie, but up to a point it's hopeful. And considering its theme and how events unfold, I could never argue that it offers a happy ending, but somehow the ending offers a look that allows you to believe that there will be a change, and someone will get the help the main character just didn't get from the people who were supposed to protect her.

This scene takes place in the middle of the credits, so if you end up watching this movie, watch them.

I loved when a movie leaves me with things to think about after watching them, and Better Days did that extensively.

Highly recommended.