Movies

Everything you need to know about Ariana Grande’s short film Brighter Days Ahead

BBG News

In just a few days since its release, Ariana Grande’s new short film titled “Brighter Days Ahead” has amassed over 5.6 million views and continues to climb on her official YouTube channel. The movie was jointly launched with the deluxe album “Eternal Sunshine Deluxe: Brighter Days Ahead,” which became available on streaming platforms worldwide last year, on Friday, March 28th. Christian Breslauer directed this film for Grande.

The premium edition of the album showcases five fresh tracks and a longer version of a song that was previously released. Additional tunes added to the playlist are: “Intro (End of the World) – Extended”, “Twilight Zone”, “Warm”, “Dandelion”, “Past Life”, and “Hampstead”. It seems that, following her recent acting comeback, a 26-minute film has been created. This short movie incorporates six excerpts from the album into one continuous narrative instead of releasing individual traditional music videos for each song.

As a dedicated fan, I find myself eagerly anticipating “Brighter Days Ahead,” where I step back into the shoes of Peaches, echoing her character from the “We Can’t Be Friends (Wait for Your Love)” music video. This intriguing narrative unfolds as an elderly Peaches navigates a futuristic setting that subtly nods to the 2004 Jim Carrey masterpiece, “Eternal Sunshine of the Spotless Mind.” The storyline seamlessly blends reality and fantasy, offering a rich tapestry of scenes. These include heartwarming home videos from my childhood, captivating performances drawn from the album, and poignant interpretations of the tales behind the songs. One such scene even features my real-life father, Edward Butera, adding an extra layer of authenticity to this imaginative journey.

As the elderly woman named Peaches observes herself on the screen, she sings about every recollection, conveying their emotions as she experienced them at the time. The sequence starts with “Intro (End of the World)”, where she views old home videos featuring her and her family from when she was a young child. Following this, “Eternal Sunshine” and “Dandelion” are played, with Peaches performing them as if they were live performances. Although the first two memories differ significantly, the final three songs share a unified narrative, intertwining smoothly like scenes in a sci-fi film.

In the background, “Twilight Zone” music plays. Awake now, young Peaches finds herself in a disheveled house, dressed in a vintage wedding gown. Amidst the turmoil, she locates a necklace and decides to wear it. A loud crash outside piques her curiosity, leading her to investigate. As “Twilight Zone” concludes, “Supernatural” starts, and Peaches encounters even more pandemonium as she navigates an apocalyptic landscape filled with flames. Unfazed, she accepts being abducted by an alien spacecraft in the midst of the destruction.

As the story concludes, elderly Peaches opted to watch the final scene, which was shot in black and white within a tavern featuring a disheveled physician. His demeanor was melancholic as he reminisced about gifting his daughter the necklace earlier in the movie and found it difficult to play the piano at the bar. Upon departing, “Hampstead” started playing, revealing that he had been amassing body parts with the hope of reviving his daughter, Peaches, who was fatally injured by stray cats (a nod to Ariana’s “The Boy is Mine” music video). Despite his efforts, the parts failed to work. In a fit of rage, he demolished his operating room before recognizing that his daughter started showing signs of life when she heard music from a music box. As a result, he resolves to play the piano once more, and astonishingly, she is miraculously reanimated as the colors in the scene returned.

As I watch the closing credits unfurl, an older woman named Peaches seems to carry a newfound sense of healing within her. The movie then presents one final home video of a young girl named Ariana, who says, “You know someone once said that we should live each day as if it were our last.

While it might initially appear puzzling how these disparate fictional recollections relate, they all contribute to unearthing truths about Ariana’s genuine past and present.

In a manner similar to “Eternal Sunshine of the Spotless Mind,” the narrative unfolds as a complex tale of romantic turmoil. The songs within “Brighter Days Ahead” have sparked conjecture among fans, who believe they depict Ariana Grande’s high-profile divorce from Dalton Gomez, as well as her blossoming romance with Ethan Slater from the “Wicked” cast. Beyond offering insights into the relationship drama that has captivated the online world, this short film also explores Ariana’s personal relationships with her family and herself in greater depth.

For years, I’ve been an ardent fan of Ariana Grande. Seeing this short film was deeply moving as it seemed to portray Ariana finding solace and healing within herself. The initial fictional memory felt like a blend of real experiences, rekindling my connection with her inner child and evoking a yearning for the pure love that a child first learns from family. However, transitioning to the second fictional memories, we witness a different Ariana. Her altered appearance symbolizes the pop persona she adopts, which unfortunately creates a rift between her and her inner child, contributing to her complex relationship with fame. Yet, it appears she doesn’t regret this journey, as shown by the depiction of Peaches joyfully dancing to Eternal Sunshine, just like us.

The third imagined event signifies the point where the supposed tale of her relationship with Dalton concludes, and her relationship with Ethan commences. The short film portrays an atmosphere that mirrors how she felt during her real-life divorce, as everything around her appears to crumble. Yet, amidst this sense of impending doom, she yields to the disorder and allows herself to embrace love once more. If the world was indeed coming to an end, she would desire a relationship that felt genuine even if it required upending her life for the sake of that connection.

As an ardent fan, I must confess that it’s no secret to us long-time Ariana Grande aficionados that her parents parted ways when she was just a child, leading to a tumultuous bond between her and her father. The poignant scene in the last fictional memory where her father appeared as Peaches’ healer through their mutual love for music felt like a profound reconnection for Ariana, a reunion sparked by empathy after navigating the pain of their past.

Just as she comes to terms at the end of each memory, it seems Ariana has learned to embrace both the hardships and the joys of her past, understanding that they have shaped her into the resilient woman she is today – one with a mended relationship with her father (and herself).

Although the songs on Eternal Sunshine Deluxe: Brighter Days Ahead seem more like personal journal entries than polished tunes, it’s tough not to appreciate them given Ariana Grande’s exceptional vocal abilities. The album boasts a creative concept, distinct ties to classic films such as War of the Worlds and Titanic, and a generous budget that ensured a high-quality production. If music videos are becoming obsolete, perhaps short films will become their replacement, given how impressive this one was. Kudos to Ariana Grande, the next big thing in the industry.

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2025-04-04 18:15

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