Eighth Grade is ace. It's funny and involving, staying very close to its protagonist Kayla's experience, with the blaring soundtrack coming across like the sound of Kayla's own emotions as they rise and threaten to overwhelm her at times of excitement, stress and uncertainty - all of which are plentiful. Of course the audience is going to root for the quiet girl who doesn't fit in, but there are some nice touches in her characterisation to reinforce that, especially the way she determinedly tries to push through her fears and go after what she wants, giving her meaningful agency despite all the teenage confusion and anxiety. The plot isn't much more than one thing happening after another; the film pitches deliberately very contemporary in highlighting the central role of phones and social media in (teenage) life today, and it's totally convincing in how it draws its school-aged characters and how they speak and interact.
(w/ Erandathie)
(w/ Erandathie)
