The Cure

The conversations between Dexter and Erik feel so natural, and the innocent way they talk about Dexter’s illness reminds me of the sanitized version of the world kids believe in—where impossible things still feel possible and hope alone is enough to keep searching. Even with everything Dexter is going through, they still find ways to have fun and just be kids. One of my favorite parts was watching Erik find the love and care he was missing at home through Dexter’s mom. At the same time, both he and Dexter experience the kind of friendship neither of them had ever known before. They become a safe place for each other, and that’s what makes their relationship so special. In the end, the cure they were searching for isn’t the one they expected—it was the friendship they found.  I also really appreciated how the film pushes back against the fear and misconceptions surrounding AIDS at the time without ever losing sight of what it’s really about. More than anything, The Cure is a beautiful but devastating story about friendship, childhood, and the quiet ways people can change each other’s lives. And the shoe scene absolutely destroyed me.