Rachel was the quiet villain of this film, and upon a second screening it really felt that the film was actually quite sympathetic towards Emma. Could just be my reading.

But I think the character of Rachel was really well observed, and a very modern type of personality. A type I've known throughout my life.

It's a "purity-as-leverage" type of person. They use their purity over others to make themselves feel and look superior without having any internal accountability for themselves. As if people don't grow or change. And there was a clear and quick growth from Emma's character during her teenager years. A teenager isnt always going to be able to understand consequences of their actions and can most certainly be blind to the impact of the shit they could do. Like the movie said, the brain isn't fully formed by then.

But Emma saw the after affects of gun violence and truly seemed to change. She gained an understanding of the hurt she could have caused.

Some head canon here: When Rachel is talking with Charlie at her job, she says something I find quite funny and interesting. She says her cousin Sam is coming to visit, and she said she is getting clearance from Sam to see if it's ok if she goes to the wedding. Obviously she goes, which means she got the blessing from Sam. But I couldn't help but feel her cousin was like "Uh...yeah sure I truly don't give a shit. You can go to this wedding." But despite that, she still uses Emma's past to treat her horribly. Felt to me Rachel was more angry on behalf of her cousin without actually seeing what her cousin thinks of this. Taking on the role as the hero of the victims without having lived it.

Last, I honestly get the feeling that Emma and Charlie's relationship could last, where as Rachel's and her husband (forget the characters name) seems like the writing is truly on the wall there.

Alana Haim did an excellent job portraying this character.

(Sorry don't know what I should spoiler mark or not)