The moment comes near the end of Prime Video’s adaptation of the popular YA book, which premieres Friday, and the end of Belly’s summer at Cousins Beach, where she’s been coming for years alongside brothers Conrad and Jeremiah Fisher — but this summer is different. Belly has a glow-up. At 16, she looks different and, more importantly, feels different, and those around her notice too. After a summer-long back-and-forth love triangle with Conrad and Jeremiah, and months of Belly seemingly hinging her value on the opinions and views of those around her, it’s a monumental realization that echoes the message of the show: that beauty is personal, and ultimately, how we view ourselves needs to be dictated, and embraced, by us. In a way, Belly is reclaiming the idea of beauty and glowing up — specifically, the idea that hers is for anyone but herself.
