The post Dear David Ending Explained – Is Lara’s Secret Revealed? first appeared on Ready Steady Cut.
We are discussing the 2023 Netflix movie Dear David ending which will contain spoilers.
The last of by Netflix many teen dramas is the indonesian movie Dear David. It’s a unique premise for a high school movie. In my Ready Steady Cut review, I wrote:
Between helping the principle, staying on top of her classes, and going to church with her mother, Laras doesn’t have much time left for a social life – so she indulges in her fanfiction in which she imagines herself in various encounters. romance with David. He’s not only a talented athlete at school, she also knows him at church, and their parents encourage their shy friendship.
Naturally, because it’s a movie, Laras’ writing blog where she posts her fanfiction about her and David gets leaked to the whole school, leading to a hunt to find out who the hell is. ‘author. Unfortunately, the movie didn’t hold up for me, especially its ending. In my review, I explain:
Dear David looks promising in the first 45 minutes, with its unique premise and decent performances from Cinnamon and Lewis. Unfortunately, the characters have stale chemistry together, and the film goes on far too long, overstaying its welcome for at least thirty minutes too long. Despite the other ways he provides positive portrayal for characters not seen often enough in this genre, the way he blindly excuses Laras’ behavior
Dear David The Ending Explained
When another story about David goes viral and is attributed to Dilla, she is suspended from school for ten days. She decides to show up to a big game and kiss David during the game, accepting his wish to date her and taking control of the narrative about her. However, it is clear that she is not interested in David at all, but in someone else. Laras is upset that David and Dilla have reunited, but is unwilling to attempt to separate them.
Does David return Laras’ feelings?
During a church retreat, David has a panic attack in front of Laras, and the way she tells him about it ends up letting him know how much she really cares about him. This makes him realize that he actually wants to be with Laras, not Dilla, so he’s going to break up with her when he gets home. Dilla is upset but becomes enraged when she sees a message from Laras on the phone that David accidentally left behind. In the message, Laras confesses his love for David but also mentions being the author of the stories circulating in the school.
What happens when Dilla discovers the truth?
When David returns for his phone, he meets an angry Dilla and warns Laras of his anger – and that she knows Laras’ secret. When Laras arrives at school the next day, everyone knows she is the real author and the principal is furious with her. She takes her phone away, but Laras is more upset by her confrontation with Dilla who rightly tells her that she hurt people other than herself because of her unwillingness to tell the truth.
Does Laras apologize to Dilla?
Laras is finally ashamed of his actions and confesses to his mother. However, going against the stereotypes often seen in this kind of film, her mother is very supportive and tells her that it’s okay to fail sometimes. She then goes to Dilla’s house and climbs over the fence, injuring her knee in the process. Dilla lets her in and heals her but then tells her she has to go. Laras asks her to drive her home.
Who does Dilla have a crush on?
On the way back to Laras’ house, Dilla finally admits that she is in love with her former best friend. Although Laras does not return her feelings, she assures Dilla that she has her back and wants to be her best friend again. It’s a sweet moment of inclusion in the film and it doesn’t feel forced.
Is Laras getting kicked out of school?
The principal tells Laras that she won’t be expelled, but her scholarship will be taken away and she must publicly apologize for writing the stories. She is dismayed to learn that the boy, Arya, who leaked the stories is not being punished at all. So, in a speech to the entire school, Laras apologizes to Dilla and David before pointing out the school’s hypocrisy in its treatment of her and Arya. The students cheer him on, though it seems odd that Laras doesn’t have to wrestle more with morality for publicly posting his dirty fanfiction about his classmate.
Do Laras and David end up together?
The film ends with Laras and David as a couple, and Laras feeling much more confident in herself. We also see Dilla talking to a girl she’s into and the movie hints that her feelings might come back to her, giving us hope that she’ll find someone to hang out with. It’s an all-too-happy ending that doesn’t bother to complicate privacy issues in favor of defending a young woman’s right to her sexuality. Which is a laudable thing to celebrate, sure, but not at the expense of creating simple narratives.
What did you think of the 2023 Netflix movie Dear David’s ending? Comments below.
The post Dear David Ending Explained – Is Lara’s Secret Revealed? first appeared on Ready Steady Cut.
