But Will the Sun Come Out Tomorrow?

I rewatched Annie (2014 version to be exact) with my best friend Amy, and it reminded me why this movie will always be one of my favorites despite it being painfully unrealistic.

Let’s be honest: nobody is that relentlessly happy and optimistic in Annie’s situation. She’s a foster kid navigating a tough life, and yet she bounces through the world with unshakable hope, singing about tomorrow as if it’s guaranteed to be brighter. In real life, most of us would struggle to get out of bed, let alone break into songs about optimism. And that’s because the story itself was written over fifty years ago, in a time when stories leaned hard on optimism, often ignoring just how complicated life can be.

But maybe that’s why Annie has become a comfort movie for me. Because it is so painfully unrealistic. Today’s shows and films, rightfully so, lean into realism. They reflect the hardship, pain, and complexity of modern life, and that matters. It’s important that media tells those stories and doesn’t shy away from the realities so many people face. But at the same time, we rarely get to source hopefulness from anywhere anymore. Social media is heavy, the news is heavier, and even art tends to mirror back the struggles we already know so well.

So when I watch Annie, it’s like stepping into a pocket of impossible optimism. It doesn’t erase the darkness of the world, but it does give me permission to imagine that things could get better. And sometimes, having that warm and fuzzy feeling, even if it comes from a story that’s nothing like reality, doesn’t hurt. In fact, it feels like a small act of self-preservation.

When you’re in the midst of a period of your life that feels so dark and hopeless, turning to cinema for that kind of escape can be one of the best coping skills. Movies can’t fix the problems we’re facing, but they can give us a window to breathe through. They can remind us of emotions we thought we lost; joy, hope, laughter, even if it’s just for two hours. And in those moments, when a story lets you step out of your own reality, it feels like a lifeline. Annie does that for me every single time.

Sometimes, what we need is a story that dares to believe the sun will come out tomorrow.