Zach generally refused to join her – so again, her death is simply a tragic accident that he decides to make about himself, and his need for redemption.

That same privilege also prevents him from seeing the truth of his actions. Even in the end, he does not want to take Beth on a hike for her sake. He wants to take her on a hike because at least then he can say he gave her what she wanted. He can then live his life with a clear conscience, while she lies in the ground, broken and rotting. She literally becomes collateral damage on his path to progress, but because of the satirical nature of the plot, this makes the film a brilliant subversion of the ‘dead woman as motivation’ trope. His brother appeals to him – in no uncertain terms – to do the humane thing and end Beth&...

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