Pratik Handore
‘Not Okay’ is a satirical comedy film written and directed by Quinn Shephard. The black comedy follows Danni Sanders (Zoey Deutch), a desperate influencer in a quest to find fame and friends. When an accidental lie makes Danni the survivor of bomb blasts in Paris, she drastically milks the opportunity to improve her social life. However, Danni struggles to keep up her lies as her social stature skyrockets. If you are wondering about how Dani’s story ends and whether she escapes the vicious cycle of lies, here is everything you need to know about the ending of ‘Not Okay.’ SPOILERS AHEAD!
Not Okay Plot Synopsis
‘Not Okay’ opens with a look at Danni Sanders’ sad and lonely life as she struggles to make a mark on her peers. Danni works at Depravity, a magazine that covers various lifestyle and cultural topics. She hopes to transition from a photo editor to a writer as it would garner her more attention and give her some social influence. Danni secretly likes the weed-smoking, world-traveling influencer, Colin (Dylan O’Brien), who works for the magazine. During a conversation with Colin, Danni mentions that she is going to a writer’s retreat in Paris to impress her influence crush.
However, Danni realizes that she lacks the money to take an actual trip to Paris. Therefore, she decides to use her photography and editing skills to fake her trip to Paris. All goes according to plan, and Danni’s fake trip to Paris floods her social media feed. It also gets Colin’s attention, and Danni is static about the results. One morning, Danni makes a post from her Instagram account minutes before a series of terrorist bombings in Paris. Texts and calls pour in, and Danni is confused about how to respond to those concerned about her safety.
Danni goes ahead with her lies and agrees that she was in Paris at the time of the blasts. When she returns to work, Danni receives the sympathy of her mean boss. Her co-workers also pay more attention to Danni, and she receives an opportunity to write an article about her experiences as a terrorist attack survivor. At her mother’s suggestion, Danni attends a support group where she meets and befriends Rowan (Mia Isaac), a teenage influencer and activist who runs a campaign against gun laws in the country.
With Rowan’s help, Danni writes a viral article that starts a social media trend that gets people to open up about their struggles. Danni’s social media gains thousands of followers, and she becomes a public figure. Danni’s friendship with Rowan also flourishes on the pretense that they are both survivors of tragic events. However, Danni’s newfound fame and attention also make her susceptible to cancel culture as all her moves are being closely watched. Whether Danni manages to hold on to her time in the limelight or is exposed forms the rest of the plot.
Not Okay Ending: Is Danni’s Secret Revealed?
Throughout the film, Danni lives a lie that powers her to the position she always craved and desired. Danni’s secret is the reason behind her success as an influencer, and she gains a community where she thrives through her lies. Nonetheless, Danni’s success built on a lie risks everything falling apart in a matter of seconds. Danni’s fall from grace is foreshadowed from the moment the lies start. Viewers see Danni’s colleague, Harper, poking holes in her stories. Harper receives concrete evidence against Danni while going through Danni’s laptop. She learns that Danni faked being in Paris and used the tragic bomb blasts to gain popularity. Her survival story is a sham, and she is a complete fraud.
In the film’s final act, Harper confronts Danni and reveals that she knows the truth. As Danni pleads with Harper to keep her secret hidden, Harper gives Danni an ultimatum. Danni must confess the truth publically and apologize to Rowan, or Harper will expose Danni leading to severe repercussions. Danni chooses to tell her story herself and reveals the truth to the world. Danni quickly becomes the target of the cancel culture movement, and various other influencers turn their backs on her.
Danni faces the repercussions of her lies and is forced to live with the disgrace she has cast upon herself. Thus, Danni’s story comes full circle as she loses the life she desperately wanted. She once again becomes lonely and an outcast. Danni cannot avert her downfall as she becomes blind due to her fame and social status. In the process, Danni also loses her sisterly bond with Rowan, which profoundly affects her. Despite her promise to do better in the future, Danni’s lies will stop anyone from trusting her. Hence, Danni loses her credibility in the public eye, effectively ending her career as an influencer.
Does Rowan Forgive Danni?
In the film, Danni meets the teenage activist Rowan Aldwin through a support group. Rowan is passionate about activism and has built herself a solid following on social media that supports her fight against gun laws. Danni and Rowan’s bond is built on their shared trauma from violent situations, and they become sisterly as the narrative progresses. Rowan looks up to Danni, and Danni feels a sense of responsibility toward Rowan. However, their bond shatters after the truth about Danni’s trip to Paris comes to light.
Rowan is devastated to learn the truth and confronts Danni. The two have an argument, and Rowan leaves before Danni has an opportunity to apologize. Later, Danni attends Rowan’s talent show in hopes of apologizing to her friend. However, she is shocked to learn that Rowan’s speech is about her, and Danni realizes the pain she has caused her friend with her lies.
Rowan’s hard-hitting delivery and the emotional content behind her speech unravel the last bit of disillusion clouding Danni’s judgment. In the end, Danni does not get a chance to apologize to Rowan. She keeps the apology she has written to herself and accepts the repercussions of her actions.
During her speech, Rowan mentions that she might be able to forgive Danni once the pain and the rage subside. Danni allows Rowan to take her time. Thus, Danni takes the first step in making amends for her actions. Ultimately, the film ends on a melancholic note without resolving the issue between Rowan and Danni. The ending highlights that forgiveness cannot be sought, and it has to be earned. Hence, the film leaves the door open for Danni to redeem herself.
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