Darby and the Dead

Darby and the Dead is a 2022 American supernatural teen comedy film directed by Silas Howard, written by Wenonah Wilms and Becca Greene, and starring Riele Downs as Darby Harper, along with Auliʻi Cravalho, Chosen Jacobs, Asher Angel, Wayne Knight, Derek Luke, and Tony Danza. Originally titled Darby Harper Wants You to Know, the film was announced in October 2021, and began filming in South Africa in February 2022. It was released by 20th Century Studios as a Hulu original film on December 2, 2022. It received mixed reviews from critics. Plot When Darby Harper was seven, she and her mother were swept by a wave that drowned them. Darby was brought back to life, but her mother perished. Since then, Darby gained the ability to see and communicate with the dead. She started a side business to help "Deados" move on to the afterlife by helping them take care of things they could not do while alive. This has caused her to become distant from everyone at school, including her former friend Capricorn "Capri" Donahue, the popular cheerleader. Darby's only true friend is the school's former janitor Gary, a "Stayer" who is waiting for his wife Linda to pass on so that he can move on too. Darby meets new student Alex who is the school's mascot and is drawn to her, despite her attempts to dissuade him. She also comes into conflict with Capri over her boyfriend James who, contrary to her, is kind and considerate. While using a hair straightener in the bathroom, Capri electrifies herself and dies. Darby is immediately visited by her and comes to grips with the fact that she is dead and needs to pass on. She also discovers that she can psychically control things with her mind. Capri constantly pesters Darby before deciding that her goal before moving on is to throw her seventeenth birthday party. Darby reluctantly agrees with Capri training her to think and act like her and her friends. After regaining her cheerleading abilities from her childhood, Darby manages to get in with Capri's friends, though she is told to stay away from Alex due to him being the mascot.