Dear David follows Laras, a perfect student, who writes fantasy stories about her crush, David. Laras finds herself in murky waters when her stories get leaked and the school administration starts looking for the writer. The film is now streaming on Netflix.
Story
Laras, a scholarship student and the president of the student council, has a crush on David, the boy whose family comes to the same church as her family. However, David likes Dilla, a girl who used to be Laras’ best friend.
Laras writes fantasy stories about David. One day, she makes the mistake of writing a story using one of the school computers. She does not notice that her attempt to sign out of her account was not successful. Someone finds her stories and leaks them on social media, making David the center of attention at school.
David soon figures out that Laras is the writer of the stories. He then asks her to help him get closer to Dilla, and Laras agrees when David keeps her secret to himself.
Laras tries to mend her relationship with Dilla to keep the promise she made to David. However, it is not easy when Dilla, who is the social pariah at school, gets bullied and blamed for Lara’s actions.
Laras’ promise and her actions hurt not just her but also her friends. Laras must grow, learn to accept herself as well as her mistakes, and see what is truly important in order to be a good friend to both David and Dilla.
Performances
Shenina Cinnamon, through her performance, brings forth the anxiety that a teenager might feel when their most private thoughts become public property. She makes the viewers sympathize with Laras even when she makes wrong choices.
Emir Mahira, as David, manages to present himself as a good schoolboy who is charming and vulnerable in his own way. After watching the same type of male characters in high school movies, it was refreshing to watch Mahira play a unique character like David so well on-screen.
Caitlin North Lewis as Dilla definitely stood out. She balanced opposite qualities with precision; she convinced the viewers that she is a fierce girl who always stands up for herself but also a vulnerable girl who cries in her room when her friend disappoints her or when she does not understand herself.
Positives
The film accurately depicts the kind of fears that teenagers have to face in this time and age. The viewers will be able to relate to the problems and fears depicted in the film, as it does not exaggerate anything and keeps the plot real.
The plot revolves around the character development and self-acceptance of the three teenagers. The film gives enough time to their issues and is careful in handling sensitive ones like coming to terms with one’s sexuality, the pressure of dealing with high expectations in school, panic attacks, and being abandoned by one’s parents.
While the film shows the kind of moral policing that women have to face in schools, it also addresses the issue of male objectification and how it can affect young people.
Additionally, the representation of schools as spaces that are made unsafe by students as well as authority figures and spaces that violate the privacy of the students is truly unique in this film and makes it stand out.
Negatives
The ending of the film might feel a bit incomplete. It is as if the film wanted to promote self-acceptance but not deal with the resulting consequences; the viewers never find out what happens to Laras when her worst fear becomes her reality and she gets expelled.
While the film does show that it is no longer her worst fear, it is hard to accept that narrative, as it is not easy to let go of your fears and change yourself overnight.
Verdict
Dear David is a film that stands out from other teen dramas due to the kind of issues it tackles and the way it tackles them. The problems of the three teenagers are relatable, and the story of how they come to accept themselves is heart-warming.
Also Read: Dear David ending explained: Does Laras end up with David?
