Christian and Dani are struggling in their relationship. In this bizarre and artsy breakup horror movie, Dani's sister kills her parents and dies by suicide in the first twenty minutes. Dani (Florence Pugh) shows us a very real expression of grief as she laments and looks to Christian for comfort. Christian, who is not a villain but not a good boyfriend, feels guilty and stuck in his current relationship. He feels as though he can't leave Dani but is not willing to break up with her or work on their relational issues. Christian invites Dani along on a trip with his three friends Mark, Josh and Pelle to Sweden where they are planning to experience and study the small Hårga community's celebration of Midsommar. 

The community is closed, close knit and traditional, with everyone in the village takes responsibility for each other. Over the course of the movie, the rituals increase their use of psychedelics and become progressively more violent. Many fascinating mental health themes come up in this story first and foremost Dani's experience of loss and trauma. In the beginning, Christian is critical of the attention she gives her sister and Dani tells a friend she may be leaning on him too much. When someone is coping with trauma and loss, it can be overwhelming. We all need social support to cope. As Dani's friend tells her, our loved ones don't HAVE to support us they have the OPPORTUNITY to support us through difficult times. In relationships we are constantly negotiating boundaries and separateness. It can be difficult to determine if you are experiencing an unhelpful codependency in your relationship or if it is appropriate support. Also,  helping a partner cope with PTSD can be straining and difficult for everyone involved. However, when we are sharing our lives with someone, we deserve and sometimes need this support. 

Brené Brown, social work researcher and speaker, talks about "stepping into the arena" as in being willing to take risks and be vulnerable. Christian is not willing to be vulnerable and honest with Dani about how he is feeling. He feels guilt and responsibility to her but is not invested enough to tell her he wants to end the relationship. He is not stepping into the arena with her. Ultimately, the story parallels Dani's process of discovering what she wants and what she deserves to be able to ask for in a relationship. In the end, Dani chooses herself at the expense of Christian's life and finds the release she is looking for.