Directed by Ry Russo-Young, The Sun is Also a Star is also one of the most absurd movies ever made. Based on the novel of the same name, the earnestness of the film's narrative fringes on laughable, while the targeted audience seems to be a misdirection.
It's the ancient tale of when super-hot guy Daniel (Charles Melton) sees super-hot girl Natasha (Yara Shahidi) and knows she is "The One." He pursues her with crazed, stalker-like tendencies. The film quickly covers those dangerous tracks with Daniel's sweet visage. He swoops in, saves Natasha's life, and with an uncanny bravado, says he can make her fall in love with him in just one day -- or even one hour! He just wants to convince her that destiny is real, and their meeting is the proof.
The film certainly comes across as one huge exclamation point. The downfall of that constant solemnity, however, is that the characters become more cartoonish. Wide eyes stare moronically out of the screen. Shahidi's scientific delivery is so perfunctory as to be noticeable. She indifferently states, "You saved my life. Thank you." "It's hard to be passionate when you're hungry" is another offhand comment with no feeling.
Melton's excessive delivery is antithetical to that of Shahidi. He's the passionate poet who says, "I'm not a dream. I'm right here." When Daniel attempts to woo Natasha with a karaoke rendition of Crimson and Clover - complete with unbuttoned shirt and the smolder look - it's hysterical as Melton takes himself so seriously in that moment.
To make up for the failing dramatics, a boon of the film is the inclusion of cultural and personal histories that are severely lacking in mainstream cinema. Natasha's experience as a Jamaican immigrant facing deportation from the United States and Daniel's experience as a first-generation Korean American are vital elements, especially in today's socio-political chaos. Natasha and her family are being forced to leave, even though she's lived in America for nine years. Daniel struggles to conform to his parents' expectations to become a doctor. But the two share a commonality in that their parents want more for them.
Even though the film includes these aspects, it doesn't really engage the very communities it's referring to. In fact, it seems to be speaking straight to a white audience in various teaching moments. Enlightened voiceovers of Natasha and Daniel are overutilized during a montage of images in the film's efforts to teach about Natasha's Jamaican background, about the complex relationship between Koreans and the black hair care world, and about the schism between American and Korean naming. It's like a slideshow presentation, rather than a lived-in, fully depicted experience. It doesn't help that these moments are comically watered-down by full-blown, teen make-out sessions or romantic overtures.
The Sun is Also a Star attempts to reproduce the acclaim of other recent teen rom-com hits, such as Netflix's To All the Boys I've Loved Before. But the same writing, direction, and acting are just not present in this adaptation.