I don’t even know how to talk about
Parachute properly. It doesn’t feel like something you just review. It just… sits there after.
I loved how nothing was glamorized. The film leans into the ugly parts—the nasty behaviors, the person you can become when you’re stuck in that cycle. It makes you recoil then pulls you back into empathy at the same time. Watching Riley self-sabotage over and over felt uncomfortable.
For me, it felt like such an accurate portrayal of an eating disorder. As someone dealing with bdd, this hit way too close. The pinching, grabbing, checking, the way your brain just keeps going and going and doesn’t shut up. That constant “stop it stop it stop it” but you’re still doing it anyway. The ringing. That part made me feel sick and nauseous because it’s so familiar. I’ve done that. I still do that sometimes.
There were so many moments that didn’t even feel like scenes. They felt like things I’ve thought before but never said out loud.
“I know I’m emotional and sensitive and dramatic… sometimes selfish, needy… I’ve hurt a lot of people… mostly myself. And I don’t want to do that anymore. I want to be okay… with me.”
And also:
“Do you know I can’t even take a shower? Because it means I have to take my clothes off and look at myself in the mirror…”
There’s also that scene where she says all women hate themselves and then she goes quiet when she’s asked if she thinks she’s beautiful. That silence felt louder than anything else in the movie. It’s like she already knows the answer but can’t say it.
and then that line—
“don’t trust your brain, just ask me and i’ll tell you what you look like”— I don’t even know how to describe what that did. It felt comforting and painful at the same time like wanting to believe it but also knowing it won’t fix anything.
I kept going back and forth with her the whole time. There were moments where I was so frustrated like why are you doing this to yourself again??? why are you pushing people away??? why are you making it worse??? and then right after that, I’d feel bad for even thinking that because I get it. I get how it feels to be that aware of your own behavior and still not be able to stop. That’s probably the worst part—knowing and still doing it anyway.
I cried for almost an hour after watching this. It felt like seeing parts of myself I don’t usually want to face. Even writing this is hard because I still don’t know how to put it into words.
I’m honestly just glad I watched this on a day where I’m a little more okay. Because I know how easy it would’ve been to spiral if I wasn’t. This is the kind of movie that can sit in your head for a while.
I’m really glad about how it ended too. Riley choosing herself and actually trying to get better and not ending up with Ethan—it felt right. It shows that being okay doesn’t have to come from being with someone else.
This movie means more to me than I expected. It understands something I deal with and it just gets how messy everything is. You can be doing better and still fall back into old thoughts. You can understand yourself and still struggle with yourself.
And somehow, you keep going anyway.
