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* ChekhovsSkill: As a child, Daniel's playfighting sword games with Luke would be augmented with visual and auditory "enhancements", so that Luke would see real swords and hear real metal clangs. When Daniel [[spoiler:swaps places with Luke, Luke takes gains the same ability, weaponizing ordinary tools like brooms and shovels into swords to impale Daniel with.]]
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* ChekhovsSkill: As a child, Daniel's playfighting sword games with Luke would be augmented with visual and auditory "enhancements", so that Luke would see real swords and hear real metal clangs. When Daniel [[spoiler:swaps places with Luke, Luke takes Luke gains the same ability, weaponizing ordinary tools like brooms and shovels into swords to impale Daniel with.]]
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* BittersweetEnding: The alternate ending. [[spoiler:Luke lives, but is stuck in the imaginary friend role, and the host body--Daniel--is now dead, leaving him unable to be seen by anyone or to contact Cassie.]]
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* MeaningfulName: Aside from the BiblicalMotifs, "Daniel" is also an anagram of "denial", something Luke goes through with regard to how much control he has over Daniel's existence and something Daniel expresses in regards to his crimes.
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* BiblicalMotifs: All over the place.
** Daniel and Luke are names from the bible. Daniel was an extremely capable advisor to a king who quickly ingratiated himself despite being, at heart, loyal only to another (God). Also, much as with the Daniel in this film, [[WhatMeasureIsANonHuman experts do not believe him to have been a real person.]]
** Daniel's meltdown regarding loyalty towards God.
** And, of course, Daniel turns out to be [[spoiler:an actual demon]], resembling (according to his own hand), one from Renaissance-era Christian paintings.
** Daniel and Luke are names from the bible. Daniel was an extremely capable advisor to a king who quickly ingratiated himself despite being, at heart, loyal only to another (God). Also, much as with the Daniel in this film, [[WhatMeasureIsANonHuman experts do not believe him to have been a real person.]]
** Daniel's meltdown regarding loyalty towards God.
** And, of course, Daniel turns out to be [[spoiler:an actual demon]], resembling (according to his own hand), one from Renaissance-era Christian paintings.
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* BlackDudeDiesFirst: [[spoiler: Dr. Braun, Luke's black therapist, is killed by Daniel after he unsuccessfully tries to separate him from Luke.]] Subverted somewhat as [[spoiler:John Thigpen's mother is the first on-screen death]], but Braun's is the first murder shown in detail.
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* BlackDudeDiesFirst: [[spoiler: Dr. Braun, Luke's black therapist, is killed by Daniel after he unsuccessfully tries to separate him from Luke.]] Subverted somewhat as [[spoiler:John Thigpen's mother is Thigpen's]] diner murder spree comprises the first on-screen death]], few deaths, but Braun's is the first major murder shown in detail.
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* AFormYouAreComfortableWith: Daniel has a consistent face shown to people he manifests around, and a consistent true face only visible to hosts he's [[spoiler:successfully parasitized]]. He seems to have a preference for the latter, but it's not clear if he has any control over how he looks to other people or if he deliberately looks the exact way he does.
* AmbiguousEnding: Luke [[spoiler:throws himself and Daniel off a building, intending to kill himself to take out Daniel.]] It [[spoiler:kills Luke]], but doesn't destroy Daniel, who is shown in the psychological cage in his true form, and jumps into the stormy abyss--the same thing Luke did to forcibly manifest when held captive there, and the way he is implied to have first manifested in Luke's adulthood. However, since [[spoiler:his current host is dead and it's not clear what happened to John Thigpen, he may not have another host to take over]], making it unclear where or in what state he eventually ends up.
* AmbiguousEnding: Luke [[spoiler:throws himself and Daniel off a building, intending to kill himself to take out Daniel.]] It [[spoiler:kills Luke]], but doesn't destroy Daniel, who is shown in the psychological cage in his true form, and jumps into the stormy abyss--the same thing Luke did to forcibly manifest when held captive there, and the way he is implied to have first manifested in Luke's adulthood. However, since [[spoiler:his current host is dead and it's not clear what happened to John Thigpen, he may not have another host to take over]], making it unclear where or in what state he eventually ends up.
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* DownerEnding: [[spoiler: Luke kills himself by jumping off from an apartment building's roof, in order to stop Daniel for good, which Cassie is ForcedToWatch. As she lies down crying beside Luke's corpse, Daniel re-materializes in his true form in another location and it's implied he'll go looking for a new host, meaning Luke's sacrifice was AllForNothing.]]
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* TheHedonist: Daniel. He helps his hosts have fun and in the present day, assists Luke with becoming more socially smooth and loosening up into a popular party guy. However, his pursuit of fun is endless, and he has little regard for caution or sensitivity, encouraging Luke to have sex with Sophie even though he's pursuing Cassie. He also has little patience for anything that gets in the way, quickly suggesting violence against annoyances, and once he takes over, the first thing he does is [[spoiler: press the obnoxious cokehead's face into a steam pipe.]]
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* TheHedonist: Daniel. He helps his hosts have fun and in the present day, assists Luke with becoming more socially smooth and loosening up into a popular party guy. However, his pursuit of fun is endless, and he has little regard for caution or sensitivity, encouraging Luke to have sex with Sophie even though he's pursuing Cassie. He also has little patience for anything that gets in the way, quickly suggesting violence against annoyances, and once he takes over, the first thing he does is [[spoiler: press the obnoxious cokehead's roommate's face into a steam pipe.]]
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* AGodAmI: One of the first times Daniel turns against Luke, no less. Once Daniel notices Luke spending more attention on Cassie than him, and even starting to diverge from his advice when it comes to wooing her, his next immediate quote intended for Luke to repeat to her ends up being a Bible verse about the wrath of God, ending with ''"thou shalt have no other gods BUT ME!"''
** [[spoiler:John Thigpen is still in the same psychological cage Luke is shoved into once Daniel takes over for good.]]
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* BodyHorror: Daniel's method of possessing Luke. His face contorts into a series of appendages similar to tentacles, which latch onto Luke's face and merge with it.
* BlackDudeDiesFirst: [[spoiler: Dr. Braun, Luke's black therapist, is killed by Daniel after he unsuccessfully tries to separate him from Luke.]]
* BlackDudeDiesFirst: [[spoiler: Dr. Braun, Luke's black therapist, is killed by Daniel after he unsuccessfully tries to separate him from Luke.]]
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* BodyHorror: Abundantly so.
** Daniel's method of possessing Luke. His face contorts into a series of appendages similar to tentacles, which latch onto Luke's face and merge with it.
** When Luke tries to get his body back with physical force, his arm breaks away, before instantly healing.
** Daniel's method of permanently taking over involves [[spoiler:forcibly pulling open Luke's mouth into a wide orifice, which he crawls down face-first.]]
** Daniel twists and pulls away at [[spoiler:Luke's]] face when [[spoiler:Cassie rejects him, rearranging it as his own.]]
* BlackDudeDiesFirst: [[spoiler: Dr. Braun, Luke's black therapist, is killed by Daniel after he unsuccessfully tries to separate him from Luke.]] Subverted somewhat as [[spoiler:John Thigpen's mother is the first on-screen death]], but Braun's is the first murder shown in detail.
* ChekhovsSkill: As a child, Daniel's playfighting sword games with Luke would be augmented with visual and auditory "enhancements", so that Luke would see real swords and hear real metal clangs. When Daniel [[spoiler:swaps places with Luke, Luke takes gains the same ability, weaponizing ordinary tools like brooms and shovels into swords to impale Daniel with.]]
** Daniel's method of possessing Luke. His face contorts into a series of appendages similar to tentacles, which latch onto Luke's face and merge with it.
** When Luke tries to get his body back with physical force, his arm breaks away, before instantly healing.
** Daniel's method of permanently taking over involves [[spoiler:forcibly pulling open Luke's mouth into a wide orifice, which he crawls down face-first.]]
** Daniel twists and pulls away at [[spoiler:Luke's]] face when [[spoiler:Cassie rejects him, rearranging it as his own.]]
* BlackDudeDiesFirst: [[spoiler: Dr. Braun, Luke's black therapist, is killed by Daniel after he unsuccessfully tries to separate him from Luke.]] Subverted somewhat as [[spoiler:John Thigpen's mother is the first on-screen death]], but Braun's is the first murder shown in detail.
* ChekhovsSkill: As a child, Daniel's playfighting sword games with Luke would be augmented with visual and auditory "enhancements", so that Luke would see real swords and hear real metal clangs. When Daniel [[spoiler:swaps places with Luke, Luke takes gains the same ability, weaponizing ordinary tools like brooms and shovels into swords to impale Daniel with.]]
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* FoeRomanceSubtext: Daniel is presented as being everything Luke isn't, including suave, smart, and funny. He becomes increasingly possessive of Luke as their relationship continues, invading his personal space and touching him disturbingly. At one point he makes a show of his body to Luke, while Luke is studying for a test. Needing Daniel's help to remember the answers, Daniel removes his shirt seductively to reveal he has written the answers on his nude torso, forcing Luke to oggle him.
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* FoeRomanceSubtext: GoneHorriblyRight: Dr. Braun's last-resort solution for helping Luke, which involves a ritual to suspend Luke in hypnosis and draw out Daniel. This works ''exactly'' as intended, but the problem is that Daniel isn't a simple construct of Luke's mind, but a demonic entity. As a result, Daniel manifests physically, possesses Luke, and kills Dr. Braun.
* TheHedonist: Daniel. He helps his hosts have fun and in the present day, assists Luke with becoming more socially smooth and loosening up into a popular party guy. However, his pursuit of fun is endless, and he has little regard for caution or sensitivity, encouraging Luke to have sex with Sophie even though he's pursuing Cassie. He also has little patience for anything that gets in the way, quickly suggesting violence against annoyances, and once he takes over, the first thing he does is [[spoiler: press the obnoxious cokehead's face into a steam pipe.]]
* HomoeroticSubtext: Daniel is presented as being everything Luke isn't, including suave, smart, and funny. He becomes increasingly possessive of Luke as their relationship continues, invading his personal space and touching him disturbingly. At one point he makes a show of his body to Luke, while Luke is studying for a test. Needing Daniel's help to remember the answers, Daniel removes his shirt seductively to reveal he has written the answers on his nude torso, forcing Luke to oggle him. Becomes FoeRomanceSubtext as the film goes on.
* TheHedonist: Daniel. He helps his hosts have fun and in the present day, assists Luke with becoming more socially smooth and loosening up into a popular party guy. However, his pursuit of fun is endless, and he has little regard for caution or sensitivity, encouraging Luke to have sex with Sophie even though he's pursuing Cassie. He also has little patience for anything that gets in the way, quickly suggesting violence against annoyances, and once he takes over, the first thing he does is [[spoiler: press the obnoxious cokehead's face into a steam pipe.]]
* HomoeroticSubtext: Daniel is presented as being everything Luke isn't, including suave, smart, and funny. He becomes increasingly possessive of Luke as their relationship continues, invading his personal space and touching him disturbingly. At one point he makes a show of his body to Luke, while Luke is studying for a test. Needing Daniel's help to remember the answers, Daniel removes his shirt seductively to reveal he has written the answers on his nude torso, forcing Luke to oggle him. Becomes FoeRomanceSubtext as the film goes on.
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* IKnowYouAreInThereSomewhereFight: Cassie at the end, as she fends off Daniel. [[spoiler:It works.]]
* ManicPixieDreamGirl: Cassie, and to a lesser extent, Sophie, to Luke. Both are much more in touch with their quirky, fun, or irreverent sides than Luke.
* ManicPixieDreamGirl: Cassie, and to a lesser extent, Sophie, to Luke. Both are much more in touch with their quirky, fun, or irreverent sides than Luke.
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* ToxicFriendInfluence: Daniel. He seems to genuinely enjoy helping Luke lighten up and enjoy his life more--but the second Luke starts deviating from his advice and doing things for himself, his attitude sours and the idea that he's not the person Luke is most devoted to quickly comes to the fore as a BerserkButton.
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* HumanoidAbomination: Daniel takes the form of an attractive young adult, but in actuality [[spoiler: he's a demonic parasite who takes over his victim's bodies, forces them to commit violent acts and then makes them kill themselves. The ending of the film ha shim assume his true from after leaving Luke's body and it's ''not'' pretty.]]
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* HumanoidAbomination: Daniel takes the form of an attractive young adult, but in actuality [[spoiler: he's a demonic parasite who takes over his victim's bodies, forces them to commit violent acts and then makes them kill themselves. The ending of the film ha shim has him assume his true from after leaving Luke's body and it's ''not'' pretty.]]
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* BlackDudeDiesFirst: [[spoiler: Dr. Braun, Luke's black therapist, is killed by Daniels after he unsuccessfully tries to separate him from Luke.]]
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* BlackDudeDiesFirst: [[spoiler: Dr. Braun, Luke's black therapist, is killed by Daniels Daniel after he unsuccessfully tries to separate him from Luke.]]
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* AndIMustScream:
** Daniel was locked into Luke's grandmother's dollhouse by Luke's mother when Luke was a child, after he tricked Luke into almost killing his mom. He apparently wasn't able to leave it, as when Luke opens the dollhouse years after he's still there.
** [[spoiler: Daniel later on does the same to Luke, by locking ''his'' consciousness into the dollhouse.]]
** Daniel was locked into Luke's grandmother's dollhouse by Luke's mother when Luke was a child, after he tricked Luke into almost killing his mom. He apparently wasn't able to leave it, as when Luke opens the dollhouse years after he's still there.
** [[spoiler: Daniel later on does the same to Luke, by locking ''his'' consciousness into the dollhouse.]]
* BlackDudeDiesFirst: [[spoiler: Dr. Braun, Luke's black therapist, is killed by Daniels after he unsuccessfully tries to separate him from Luke.]]
* DownerEnding: [[spoiler: Luke kills himself by jumping off from an apartment building's roof, in order to stop Daniel for good, which Cassie is ForcedToWatch. As she lies down crying beside Luke's corpse, Daniel re-materializes in his true form in another location and it's implied he'll go looking for a new host, meaning Luke's sacrifice was AllForNothing.]]
* DownerEnding: [[spoiler: Luke kills himself by jumping off from an apartment building's roof, in order to stop Daniel for good, which Cassie is ForcedToWatch. As she lies down crying beside Luke's corpse, Daniel re-materializes in his true form in another location and it's implied he'll go looking for a new host, meaning Luke's sacrifice was AllForNothing.]]
* HumanoidAbomination: Daniel takes the form of an attractive young adult, but in actuality [[spoiler: he's a demonic parasite who takes over his victim's bodies, forces them to commit violent acts and then makes them kill themselves. The ending of the film ha shim assume his true from after leaving Luke's body and it's ''not'' pretty.]]
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* TakingYouWithMe: The climax sees Luke jumping from a rooftop, so as to kill himself and stop Daniel from using his possessed body for further violence.
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* TakingYouWithMe: [[spoiler: The climax sees Luke jumping from a rooftop, so as to kill himself and stop Daniel from using his possessed body for further violence.]]
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* TakingYouWithMe: The climax sees Luke jumping from a rooftop, so as to kill himself and stop Daniel from using his possessed body for further violence.
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* TakingYouWithMe: The climax sees Luke jumping from a rooftop, so as to kill himself and stop Daniel from using his possessed body for further violence.violence.
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* FoeRomanceSubtext: Daniel is presented as being everything Luke isn't, including suave, smart, and funny. He becomes increasingly possessive of Luke as their relationship continues, invading his personal space and touching him disturbingly. At one point he makes a show of his body to Luke, while Luke is studying for a test. Needing Daniel's help to remember the answers, Daniel removes his shirt seductively to reveal he has written the answers on his nude torso, forcing Luke to oggle him.
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* TheShadowKnows: Luke's shadow sometimes distorts into something inhuman, which Cassie includes in her painting of him without first realizing the implications.
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A troubled college freshman, Luke (Creator/MilesRobbins), is having difficulty in school and coping with his mentally ill mother, Claire (Creator/MaryStuartMasterson). Fearing that he will eventually develop a serious illness, he resurrects his charismatic childhood imaginary friend, Daniel (Creator/PatrickSchwarzenegger) to help him cope. However, Daniel is not what he seems, and is far more dangerous than Luke can imagine.
It had it's world premier at the South By Southwest Film Festival in March of 2019, before being picked up for distribution by Metro Goldwyn Films, which released it theatrically in the US on December 6, 2019.
!!Tropes in this film include:
It had it's world premier at the South By Southwest Film Festival in March of 2019, before being picked up for distribution by Metro Goldwyn Films, which released it theatrically in the US on December 6, 2019.
!!Tropes in this film include:
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It had
!!Tropes in this film
* BodyHorror: Daniel's method of possessing Luke. His face contorts into a series of appendages similar to tentacles, which latch onto Luke's face and merge with it.
* NotSoImaginaryFriend: Daniel, who is first believed to be either an imaginary friend or an outright hallucination of Luke's, [[spoiler: is actually a malevolent demonic entity who latches onto vulnerable people and forces them to commit acts of violence.]]
* TakingYouWithMe: The climax sees Luke jumping from a rooftop, so as to kill himself and stop Daniel from using his possessed body for further violence.
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''Daniel Isn't Real'' is a 2019 American Psychological Horror Film, adapted from the [[FilmOfTheBook novel]] ''In This Way I Was Saved'', by Brian Deleeuw. The film is directed by Creator/AdamEgyptMortimer, and written by Mortimer and Deleeuw.
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''Daniel Isn't Real'' is a 2019 American Psychological Horror PsychologicalHorror Film, adapted from the [[FilmOfTheBook novel]] ''In This Way I Was Saved'', by Brian Deleeuw. The film is directed by Creator/AdamEgyptMortimer, and written by Mortimer and Deleeuw.
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It had it's world premier at SXWX in March of 2019, before being picked up for distribution by Metro Goldwyn Films, which released it theatrically in the US on December 6, 2019.
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It had it's world premier at SXWX the South By Southwest Film Festival in March of 2019, before being picked up for distribution by Metro Goldwyn Films, which released it theatrically in the US on December 6, 2019.
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''Daniel Isn't Real'' is a 2019 American Psychological Horror Film, adapted from the [[FilmOfTheBook novel]] ''In This Way I Was Saved'', by Brian DeLeeuw. The film is directed by Creator/AdamEgyptMortimer, and written by Mortimer and DeLeeuw.
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''Daniel Isn't Real'' is a 2019 American Psychological Horror Film, adapted from the [[FilmOfTheBook novel]] ''In This Way I Was Saved'', by Brian DeLeeuw. Deleeuw. The film is directed by Creator/AdamEgyptMortimer, and written by Mortimer and DeLeeuw.Deleeuw.
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It had it's world premier at SXWX in March of 2019, before being picked up for distribution by Metro Goldwyn Films, which released it theatrically in the US on December 6, 2019.
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[[quoteright:350:https://static.tvtropes.org/pmwiki/pub/images/daniel_isnt_real.jpg]]
[[caption-width-right:350:Don't listen to him.]]
''Daniel Isn't Real'' is a 2019 American Psychological Horror Film, adapted from the [[FilmOfTheBook novel]] ''In This Way I Was Saved'', by Brian DeLeeuw. The film is directed by Creator/AdamEgyptMortimer, and written by Mortimer and DeLeeuw.
A troubled college freshman, Luke (Creator/MilesRobbins), is having difficulty in school and coping with his mentally ill mother, Claire (Creator/MaryStuartMasterson). Fearing that he will eventually develop a serious illness, he resurrects his charismatic childhood imaginary friend, Daniel (Creator/PatrickSchwarzenegger) to help him cope. However, Daniel is not what he seems, and is far more dangerous than Luke can imagine.
!!Tropes in this film include:
[[caption-width-right:350:Don't listen to him.]]
''Daniel Isn't Real'' is a 2019 American Psychological Horror Film, adapted from the [[FilmOfTheBook novel]] ''In This Way I Was Saved'', by Brian DeLeeuw. The film is directed by Creator/AdamEgyptMortimer, and written by Mortimer and DeLeeuw.
A troubled college freshman, Luke (Creator/MilesRobbins), is having difficulty in school and coping with his mentally ill mother, Claire (Creator/MaryStuartMasterson). Fearing that he will eventually develop a serious illness, he resurrects his charismatic childhood imaginary friend, Daniel (Creator/PatrickSchwarzenegger) to help him cope. However, Daniel is not what he seems, and is far more dangerous than Luke can imagine.
!!Tropes in this film include:
