izzy ramble launched from this post by @lovelessloverboy-dean
oh how i mourn we didn't get more screentime dedicated to izzy because the little we do get of her is SO interesting. there's one moment that's haunted me ever since i first saw the movie and i need digital release to confirm this 100% but during the scene where naim is outing hunter and ryan to hunter's parents, where naim is sitting at the table in their home, dripping wet, hands twisting as he tries to build up the courage to speak, izzy is sitting across from him staring DAGGERS. like she is NOT happy she is there. And just slightly, a tiny movement you would miss it if you weren't looking closely, she looks at naim and shakes her head.
her general demeanour of disapproval, the downward turn of her mouth, her unwillingness to leave until her parents verbally direct her --all of this in combination implies to me that izzy most likely knew hunter was gay, and knew that naim was most likely about to out her brother.
how does she know this?? idk would've loved more scenes from her to strengthen her relationship with her brother but it's feasible to me either way. given what we know of hunter i think it's basically impossible he would've told her anything abt his queerness or his relationship with ryan, but they're close in age and she lives with him. wouldn't put it past her to notice some things and make her own conclusions. and if she does know, i find it interesting that she kept his secret, and from the fact she clearly doesn't want naim to out him, wants it to stay a secret.
the first time we ever see izzy is on stage as part of the church's worship team, singing her heart out and looking genuinely joyful. it's made clear to the viewer through this scene that izzy loves being a part of the church, and is proud of her contribution to it. she's the pastor's daughter, the church is in her blood, and she's clearly a happily active member of it. though it might seem contradictory that she would keep hunter's queerness a secret believing it was sinful, i actually think it makes perfect sense. she knew her parents would disapprove, and she knew it would disrupt the harmony of the church community she clearly values.
so she glares daggers at naim, shakes her head, tries to stop him from outing her brother, but naim is so choked by jealousy and betrayal that he does it anyway. and like she feared, not only does it bring conflict into their church community, but into her family home. that scene where she is in the other room doing the puzzle as their parents berate hunter is such a striking visual. regardless of how she personally feels about hunter's queerness, izzy is witness to the fallout of her parents knowing hunter is queer, and through the yelling and screaming and door slamming learns that queerness = disruption of harmony. a lot of people call her homophobic and call it a day, but does she truly hate the boys' queerness and that's why she tries to cause them harm? or is she just grieving and blaming queerness for her brother's death and her family falling apart?
it's through izzy that we learn some of the mechanics of the entity, but its unclear whether or not she believes its real. it's possible that like arlene she believes hunter was a victim of a hate crime. but even if she does believe in the entity, the only reason the deliverence healer came to their church was because naim outed hunter, and because ryan and hunter were hooking up in the first place. her brother is dead because he was queer, and because of it her father has walked out and the church community she was once so joyfully apart of has been shattered. and she's grieving, guilty, angry that she feels guilty, angry that her father tells her she shouldn't blame herself implying that he believes she would have reason to. but how is that fucking fair? none of this is her fault. when she thinks on it, trying to point the finger, she skips over the unremarkable deliverence healer who made one fancy speech and was never seen again. she skips over her misguided father, who made the call and invited the healer into their family home. she thinks of the night naim reid knocked on their door and dripped water over their family dinner table. she thinks of ryan whelan's mocking smile as he kneeled beside her brother to receive the healing ritual that would cleanse them of what they'd done together.
what they found of her brother is rotting in the ground, and ryan and naim get to keep walking around town like nothing happened. deceiving the boys and driving them out to be hate crimed is unforgivable, but i wish people would analyse her motivations before they reduce her to a hateful bitch. izzy is far more than many give her credit for, and i wish we could've gotten more of her.
