Nothing is what it seems
John Barton is a representation of things not being what they seem on the outside. He seems to have it all, comes from a rich family and is a dream of many girls. But, as it turns out, nothing of that really is important when he could not find inner freedom or happiness. Prior to committing suicide, he confesses to Josie about his wish to be free from it all.
What really matters
Josie is anxiously looking for happiness outside, whether it’s in form of success in school, or finding a rich boyfriend. The movie shows Josie’s growth of character, from a bitter teen anxious about her future to a young woman realizing what really matters in life, which is family and inner happiness.
Bad boy, but not really
Jacob is a typical teen film bad boy trope who has a soft heart. This trope is usually used to make the audience not judge the book by its cover. Whether it’s overused or not, it’s left up for debate, but it is a typical type of character used for teen movie in the 2000s.
The curse
Katia, Josie’s grandmother, lives in belief that all Alibrandi women are cursed, meaning that they are unable to find happiness in romantic love. As Josie discovers after Katia’s confession, the curse is nothing else back a lack of honesty and trust among each other.
