Parachute movie storyline. The film opens with Riley (Courtney Eaton) a young woman struggling with an eating disorder who has recently checked out of a rehab facility. She’s slowly trying to put her life back together, getting a job at a struggling murder mystery dinner theater, and seeking out advice from her therapist (Gina Rodriguez) and her best friend Casey (Francesca Reale).
Despite her best efforts, Riley is still haunted by her own personal demons, from continuously checking her Instagram and comparing her body image to problematic influencers, binge-eating, and closing herself off from finding love or hearing what she actually needs to hear. While at a bar one night, Riley meets Ethan (Thomas Mann), the quirky and charismatic roommate of Casey’s boyfriend Justin (Scott Mescudi).
The two hit it off quickly as they seem to have an understanding of each other’s baggage and will occasionally have casual sex. However, Ethan clearly wants more. It’s not that he’s desperate, more that he senses that feeling of unconditional love, which breaks his heart when she ultimately chases after other guys.
Parachute is a 2023 American drama film directed by Brittany Snow in her directorial debut. Snow co-wrote the script with Becca Gleason. Produced by Yale Entertainment, the film stars Courtney Eaton and Thomas Mann. Parachute had its world premiere at the SXSW Film Festival in March 2023, and was released on April 5, 2024, by Vertical Entertainment.
Film Revie for Parachute
Launching into adulthood and finding her place in the world is a messy, challenging process for Riley (Courtney Eaton of the show Yellowjackets) in actor-turned-director Brittany Snow’s thoughtful feature debut, Parachute. As she stumbles toward real maturity after going through rehab for eating and body image disorders, Riley isn’t always easy to like, but Snow and Eaton work together to make you want to root for her to succeed.
Riley is fresh out of treatment and — theoretically — ready to step back into real life as Parachute opens. Although her “real life” seems pretty privileged, with her apartment paid for by her mother and employment apparently more of a “nice to have” than a necessity, Riley’s soft financial cushion doesn’t protect her from being emotionally vulnerable (her mom may pay the bills, but she doesn’t show up in person).
Which means that when she meets kind, understanding Ethan (Thomas Mann) at a bar on her first night back, Riley primed to soak up the affection and support he seems all too willing to offer her. Since she’s not supposed to get into a relationship during her first year out of rehab, they instead become best friends — but the dynamics of their friendship are complicated at best and co-dependent at worst.
Riley is undermined at every turn by deeply seated insecurity and self-doubt, which manifest most frequently in binge-eating behavior and a compulsion to compare herself physically to every other woman she sees. Whose stomach is flatter? Whose arms are more toned? Who has a bigger thigh gap?
At one point during a therapy session with Dr. Akerman (Gina Rodriquez), Riley chalks this constant measuring-up to part of being a modern woman — and, sadly, she’s not wrong. While Riley is clearly suffering from a clinical disorder, anyone who spends any time on Instagram or other similar platforms (or watches mainstream movies and TV shows, or reads a magazine) will be familiar with the feelings of inadequacy and self-loathing they can contribute to.
Parachute is a commentary on the influence of social media, the pressures of modern womanhood, the complexities of friendships and romantic relationships, the emotional cost of being involved with someone who’s battling addiction, and the impact of loss. That’s a lot for a filmmaker to wrangle, but Snow proves up to the task, directing Eaton and the rest of the cast with empathy and care.
Her history working in Hollywood gives her a bit of a running start as a first-time feature director (particularly evident when familiar faces like Dave Bautista and Joel McHale pop up in supporting roles), but this is no vanity project: Parachute is a sensitive drama that deals authentically with timely topics and is a promise of good things to come from Snow in the future.
Parachute (2024)
Directed by: Brittany Snow
Starring: Courtney Eaton, Thomas Mann, Dave Bautista, Kid Cudi, Francesca Reale, Gina Rodriguez, Joel McHale, Kathryn Gallagher, Jennifer Westfeldt, Ekaterina Baker, Mlé Chester
Screenplay by: Becca Gleason, Brittany Snow
Production Design by: Michael Mizrahi
Cinematography by: Kristen Correlll
Film Editing by: Henry Hayes, Matthew L. Weiss
Costume Design by: Lucy Hawkins
Music by: Keegan DeWitt
MPAA Rating: None.
Distributed by: Vertical Entertainment
Release Date: March 11, 2023 (SXSW), April 5, 2024 (United States)
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