In case it wasn't already clear, it needs to be concretely emphasized that this is a teen comedy. Yes, teen comedies still exist, though they mostly tend to become invisible for anyone past their early twenties. (Disclaimer: As I write this I'm in my late thirties, and I am NOT in the target audience for this movie.) Those two words readily inform much about the tenor of 'Darby and the dead,' with the rest coming to light with the basic premise that our protagonist, well, talks to the dead. We get flashy special effects and (somewhat excessive) overlaid graphics, contemporary teen humor, and high school drama and social dynamics, all flavoring a story about personal growth, learning to see the good in other people, breaking out of one's shell and rediscovering ourselves, finding balance, and the like. With all this in mind the supernatural angle is almost superfluous - and it's safe to say we've seen this film before, many times. Yet for any kitsch, excess, or imperfections, even for someone like me this is modestly enjoyable.
Whatever else one might say about this, I don't think there's any arguing that's it's very well made. If anything it's overproduced, too slick and shiny for its own good, but even at that, Ante Cheng's cinematography is tight and fluid, as is Kate Hickey's editing and Silas Howard's direction. The production design, art direction, costume design (warning: the 90s are described as "retro"), and hair and makeup work are terrific, and the selected soundtrack is actually pretty fun. The writing is more of a mixed bag - better than not, and fine in the broad strokes, though in the details things become a little more flawed.
The characterizations feel a bit off; Darby is primed to be the loner goth girl, but supporting character Piper carries more of that vibe. It's clear that there's depth and complexity to characters - Piper again being a prime example; in my opinion she has some of the best lines - that just isn't brought out in the screenplay. The themes that underlie the course of events never get as much focus as the drive to be cool, hip, and relevant and appealing to Mx. Young Teen 2022. And to that point, the picture is rather imbalanced at large. The constant narration of the main character, and further frequent instances of directly addressing the camera, becomes overbearing. I already said as much, but the "dead people" bit is decidedly minimized compared to the comedy and drama of teen life; case in point, Gary is set up to be a major supporting character, with lots of background and wisdom, but is mostly just stuck in the background. At that, 'Darby and the dead' is so lighthearted that it sometimes feels like little more than fluff. It has heart, but it's a heart that beats softly, and there's no real bite.
I'm personally inclined to think that the chief strength of 'Darby and the dead' is its cast. I'm not familiar with everyone here, but it's a genuine pleasure to see Tony Danza and Wayne Knight; I've not seen Nicole Maines in a lot to date but I adore her - and I wish all their roles had more substance, for even with what little we see of them they make the most of their time on-screen. Riele Downs demonstrates commendable range in the lead role, though if I'm being honest she's upstaged by Auli'i Cravalho, whose portrayal of Carpi allows her to embrace a wild energy and varied emotions well outpacing the protagonist. I highlight these few, but everyone else appearing here is just as swell, doing the most to make this feature as enjoyable as it is. I dare say that this would have been improved if writers Wenonah Wilms and Becca Greene had found a way to make it more closely centered just on the characters, without all the flourishes and stylization.
When all is said and done there aren't actually any surprises here; if one watches a trailer then they've gained a firm sense of the film, and even just reading the premise says a lot. Since this is a teen comedy more than anything else, how much you'll like this depends mostly on how much you enjoy that genre, and perhaps as a corollary, how much you can identify with teens in 2022. Even with that in mind, I'd probably appreciate it more if the writing were more mindful and even-handed, and made better use of the cast. All the same, 'Darby and the dead' is suitably well made that even the average viewer could probably find it modestly entertaining. Recommended chiefly for fans of the cast, this isn't essential by any means, but alright if you're looking for something to watch that doesn't require active engagement.
