It’s hard to be treated differently. It’s especially hard when there’s little you can do to make people see you as something other than that difference. For those who’ve battled long-term illnesses, the struggle in recovery is not being defined by that illness.

That’s the case for the kids at the camp at the heart of Sunny Dancer, a new film opening in theaters on Friday. It stars Bella Ramsey as Ivy, a girl who has recovered from cancer. She’s healthy now, but struggling with finding a way to fit in.

So, Ivy’s well-meaning parents (Jessica Gunning and James Norton) decide that they need to do something to pull her out of her rut. That something is sending her away for a four-week summer camp that is designed for teens going through something similar. They’ve had the same kind of experiences, and this camp is a place where they can attempt to be normal—no longer defined by the illness that nearly claimed their lives.

Ivy is resistant at first. She’s prickly with the campers, the counselor and the man who runs the camp, Patrick (Neil Patrick Harris). But eventually, they start to penetrate the outer shell that’s been designed to protect her from the world and from feeling anything. As she starts to open up, Ivy makes some new friends.

As the summer progresses, Ivy is able to become herself again, finally seeing a path forward apart from being the girl who survived cancer. But can it last as the summer nears its end?

This is the kind of story that we’ve seen before. It’s a bit of a coming-of-age story. It’s a bit of a teen romance story. And it’s a bit about some outsiders—in this case because of chronic illness—that are trying to gain acceptance and find a path forward. All those are worthy targets, but there are a lot of cliches along the way here.

The film is directed by George Jacques, who wrote the script. There is an attempt to work in a few twists meant to add depth to this telling of the story, but they don’t really work. In fact, the big twist at the end felt like a jarring and uneasy way to end the film, especially since it was easy to see it coming.

That being said, the film is propped up by a strong cast and some good performances. I enjoyed Ramsey in the lead, especially in scenes that move away from the gruff exterior that has hallmarked past roles. Ramsey’s scenes opposite Harris work well, as he provides some of the deeper emotional moments and grounds the film.

I also enjoyed Gunning and Norton, who provide some humor and pathos at the beginning and end of the film. That’s enough to elevate it a little and to make it a little more compelling than you’d expect given the structure of the plot. It’s worth checking out and makes for an easy enough watch.

Sunny Dancer is in theaters on Friday, September 18.

Matthew Fox is a graduate of the Radio, Television and Film program at Biola University, and a giant nerd. He spends his free time watching movies, TV, and obsessing about football. He is a member of the FSWA. You can find him @knighthawk7734 on Twitter and as co-host of the Fantasy Football Roundtable Podcast.