The film Lucky Girl Alive validates the bravery and strength of its protagonist, who has faced one of the worst things a human can do to another. The plot is not straightforward, but it is full of surprises and heart-wrenching moments.
The third act of “The Mummy” is more of a zigzag line where you are constantly kept in the dark about what actually happened. This makes the setup for the third act quite interesting, although does not fully deliver on the promise. Let’s take a closer look. As always, do feel free to comment below with your thoughts on this one!
Who is Mr. Larson and how did he help Ani?
Ani, a recent high school graduate, visits her old private school to surprise her former English teacher, Mr. Larson. She had been overweight when they were in school together and he had always been supportive. When she sees him in person, he almost doesn’t recognize her because she has lost weight since then. They catch up and he tells her that he is now the principal of a public school in Brentley. ..
Ani trusted Mr. Larson from the moment she saw him, and he repaid her trust by taking care of her until she was safe. He never hesitated to protect her, even if it meant risking his own safety.
He made it a point to talk to Headmaster Mayer about the situation. He knew that if he didn’t, he would be in trouble. He put his own career on the line for Ani and lost his job because of it.
Ani’s friends, who had been financially supporting the school, pressured the Headmaster not to report the assault to the police. When Ani gets scared and resists filing a complaint, her friends pressure the Headmaster to fire Mr. Larson. ..
Why did Ben and Arthur carry out the shooting?
Ben tells Ani about a time when he was bullied by some of his school friends. One of the boys, Peyton, took him to a forest and defecated on his chest. Ben was embarrassed and felt like he couldn’t tell anyone because they would have laughed at him.
This story is about how Arthur’s actions caused friction among the students at his school and how he never took their meaningless attention. He always gave back in bunches, even though he didn’t have anything to give back.
The shooting of Ani was a result of the anger and frustration that these events generated. Ben nodded to Ani during the shooting because he was also a victim.
The shooting at the school was a revenge-driven act that was effective in cleaningse the school of its toxicity and the kids who never get into trouble despite doing the most hideous of things possible. There can be a debate about whether or not it was sensible, but that is up to the audience to discuss the “retributive vs. reformative” justice.
Why did no one believe Ani when the shooting happened?
Nell’s flashback in the movie to her time on financial aid shows that she was a victim of a terrible fate. She was left alone and penniless, and had to work hard to survive. Despite this, she remains determined and positive, even though her life is difficult.
There is also the issue of general perception. Because Dean had better PR, he immediately got ahead of Ani’s version to tell his own. Who could dare not believe a kid in a wheelchair who can never walk again and lost his best friends in a mass shooting? That probably sums up how the people back then would have seen it. It also had a lot to do with who Dean’s parents actually were. ..
Why does Ani hate Liam and his friends and the idea of trust fund kids?
The first question’s answer is the very conceit that fuels the film. Ani was drugged and then raped, first by Dean, and then by Liam, and made fun of by their friends. We see the ordeal as Ani wakes up in a bathroom and finds herself on the floor. Dean’s mouth is between her legs as Liam barges in and asks him to stop trying. When she tries to get out, she finds a slew of Liam’s friends standing in a group and mocking her. This is also the primary reason why Arthur and ben decided to do something about the popular group that was just ruining things for other people. There are certainly other secondary reasons why it all happened but this one was quite obvious. ..
Ani’s hatred for trust-fund kids is based on her financial background. As a child, her mother put all her money and effort into getting her an “expensive” education so that she could get into elite colleges and land a husband like Luke. She makes it quite clear in an impassioned speech reminding Ani where she comes from.
Ani, a high school student on a writing scholarship, went to the school this year. She was met with hostility and mockery from other students, something she too has experienced in the past.
Why does Ani cancel her wedding with Luke?
In the film, the ending was more along the lines of altruism than a tangible thing that can manifest physically. She has a meeting with Dean at one of his book signing events. Unbeknownst to him, or us, she has her phone recording the entire conversation, where she gets him to confess that he raped her.
Ani was angry with Dean for offering to take back his statement accusing Ani of being in connivance with Arthur and Ben, but she was also angry with him for hearing the tape over and over again with tears in her eyes. That is why she decided to break it off with Luke.
After she cancels the wedding, she realizes her dream of working at the NY Times Magazine. Her essay is lauded by the women’s community and becomes a hit. Survivors come out with their own stories and take courage in each other. Now, why does she break it off? She has a perfect life, her accusations are gone too, and she can finally have whatever she ever wanted: a powerful name behind her. She was going to be “Ani Harrison”. The reason is that the movie also touches upon the coming-of-age element in Ani’s arch. For years, the burden of the shooting and the rape story tormented her.
Ani has finally been able to move beyond the thing that defined her for so many years. Dean’s admission was something Ani wanted for herself and it liberated her. She admits to Luke that she has been pretending to be the perfect girl for him. He is like Liam to her in some senses. At least in what he represents, something she loathes even to this day. ..
“An approximation of honesty won’t be good enough”, is what LoLo said to Ani. The movie was like the perfect life for the couple, but then when the documentary comes up, it all starts unfolding. The ugly truth and dark secrets kept well finally start coming out of the box. Ani is herself by the end. ..
It started with a fight that Ani started picking with Luke. They were glimpses and Dean admitting the rape was the final cog in the wheel that allowed Ani to be with her tragic past. She finally wasn’t living in denial that she was tougher and had moved on from the rape.
After confessing she was a victim, Ani became Ani again. The rose, in the end, is a metaphor for Ani’s inspiring redemption story. ..
The lucky girl in the movie is not just any girl. She is the daughter of a millionaire and has everything she could ever want. However, she has to work hard for everything she has and sometimes it seems like nothing ever comes easy for her.
