MOVIE OF THE WEEK #2 (7/27/18): EIGHTH GRADE
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| "I could totally be a shark, like, if I wanted to be one!" Kayla Day (Elsie Fisher) swims with a lot of her mind in a scene from writer/director's debut coming-of-age drama EIGHTH GRADE. Credit: Josh Ethan Johnson © 2018 A24. All rights reserved. |
KEY CAST MEMBERS: Elsie Fisher, Josh Hamilton, Emily Robinson, Jake Ryan, Luke Prael, Catherine Oliviere, Imani Lewis, Daniel Zolghadri and Greg Crowe
WRITER(S): Bo Burnham
DIRECTOR(S): Bo Burnham
WEB SITE: http://eighthgrade.movie/
HERE'S THE STORY: The directorial debut debut of writer Bo Burnham (best known from his days as one of the earliest YouTube comedy stars), Eighth Grade stars Elise Fisher as Kayla Day. And who is Kayla? Just your average quiet teenage girl with acne issues that dreams of having a boyfriend and makes plenty of online advice videos of her own. But beneath the surface, she is much more than that – she's a young lady that, like many of us at her age, is struggling to fit in with her peers, finds her overly eager to show his enthusiastic father (Josh Hamilton) equal parts loving, annoying and embarrassing at times and unsure of how to break out of her own restrictive bad habits. She's often smarter and braver than she gives herself credit for, sometimes too naive for her own good and also just someone who knows that today can shape tomorrow but the day before doesn't have to ruin either.
And now that she's going into her last week of eighth grade, she's got a lot of growing up to do, even if she's not sure exactly how to do it.
HERE'S THE STORY: The directorial debut debut of writer Bo Burnham (best known from his days as one of the earliest YouTube comedy stars), Eighth Grade stars Elise Fisher as Kayla Day. And who is Kayla? Just your average quiet teenage girl with acne issues that dreams of having a boyfriend and makes plenty of online advice videos of her own. But beneath the surface, she is much more than that – she's a young lady that, like many of us at her age, is struggling to fit in with her peers, finds her overly eager to show his enthusiastic father (Josh Hamilton) equal parts loving, annoying and embarrassing at times and unsure of how to break out of her own restrictive bad habits. She's often smarter and braver than she gives herself credit for, sometimes too naive for her own good and also just someone who knows that today can shape tomorrow but the day before doesn't have to ruin either.
And now that she's going into her last week of eighth grade, she's got a lot of growing up to do, even if she's not sure exactly how to do it.
WHO WILL LIKE THIS FILM THE MOST? Teenagers, parents who "get it;" anyone who can identify with the struggles/concerns of the main character no matter how they are
WHO WON'T (OR SHOULDN'T) LIKE THIS MOVIE? People who hate social media and the impact it's had on America; parents who will become instantly overly concerned with their children's activities; far right political thinkers; bullies
SO IS IT GOOD, BAD OR JUST AWFUL? Eighth grade isn't an "important" movie because of the statement it makes. It's not a "must-see" because it comes with deep revelations about the modern teenage experience. Nor is it a "can't miss" because of some dynamic, revelatory factor that will stun or shock you. For much like those buzz words, Eighth Grade doesn't adhere to some standard that goes with conventional judgment.
Instead, it's an important, must-see, can't miss film because of the thing most films of its ilk don't do well: Present an honest, heartfelt and most importantly, realistic view of what it means to be a young person in this moment in a way that is entertaining and educational for teens and adults alike.
As a movie, Eighth Grade provides a phenomenal visceral experience due to the outstanding performance of Elsie Fisher and her contemporaries. Instead of feeling like a character, Fisher makes Karla feel like that girl you've seen or been in your classes, next door, at the mall or simply on a social media post. Easy to fall into the crowd, Eighth Grade provides a spotlight that shows her day-to-day life in a way that is both inviting and voyeuristic. As you watch Kayla's experiences, you feel Kayla's experiences, either in empathetic or sympathetic means (if not both) where you will find yourself growing along with her.
Seriously, Fisher (and to a lesser but still very important degree, her co-stars) makes you feel like you are getting to see something rare: a young girl's raw, uncensored thoughts, feelings, nerves, fears, hopes and dreams and how they manifest in her day-to-day existence. There are times you want to yell at/hug/warn Kayla for her actions and times you simply want to share in the moment with her – without Fisher simply approaching Kayla as a real girl going through real things, there's no way the film would work as well as it does.
In a world where people have less and less time these days, spend less time interacting with each other, have personas on social media that don't match up with their real lives because everyone wants to make sure that they are "living their best life," Eighth Grade shows how all of those things are affecting today's generation – while still making anyone who's been a teen making sense of the world relate to the struggle of adolescence.
For a man who started off as a teenage YouTube wunderkind, Burnham is able to dig into his own firsthand knowledge with Eighth Grade and has created a film that crosses genders, (some) racial lines and ages to deliver something genius in its simplicity: A story about growing up with modern factors that makes a timeless experience relevant for all that watch it. As opposed to focusing on one particular issue and making Kayla have to overly dwell on it, Eighth Grade just goes over the basics of growing up: acceptance (both by others and of one's self), not knowing how to deal with starting to have sexual feelings, getting independence but still allowing one's parent(s) into their life and knowing why they care and maturing. Parents watching will be able to learn more about their kids than many standard conversations may likely deliver while kids will be able to watch someone who looks like them that doesn't make them feel preachy, over-the-top, sad, stupid and/or lost. Instead, it offers honesty and hope, which makes for an experience that is part comedy, part drama and potentially therapy for all involved.
Or, at its core, it's just a really good movie about a really relatable subject that is really something you'll enjoy if – much like adolescence itself – you just breath, realize you can and will get through it. Consider this a simple guide to get you through to the other side of the journey.
SO IS IT GOOD, BAD OR JUST AWFUL? Eighth grade isn't an "important" movie because of the statement it makes. It's not a "must-see" because it comes with deep revelations about the modern teenage experience. Nor is it a "can't miss" because of some dynamic, revelatory factor that will stun or shock you. For much like those buzz words, Eighth Grade doesn't adhere to some standard that goes with conventional judgment.
Instead, it's an important, must-see, can't miss film because of the thing most films of its ilk don't do well: Present an honest, heartfelt and most importantly, realistic view of what it means to be a young person in this moment in a way that is entertaining and educational for teens and adults alike.
As a movie, Eighth Grade provides a phenomenal visceral experience due to the outstanding performance of Elsie Fisher and her contemporaries. Instead of feeling like a character, Fisher makes Karla feel like that girl you've seen or been in your classes, next door, at the mall or simply on a social media post. Easy to fall into the crowd, Eighth Grade provides a spotlight that shows her day-to-day life in a way that is both inviting and voyeuristic. As you watch Kayla's experiences, you feel Kayla's experiences, either in empathetic or sympathetic means (if not both) where you will find yourself growing along with her.
Seriously, Fisher (and to a lesser but still very important degree, her co-stars) makes you feel like you are getting to see something rare: a young girl's raw, uncensored thoughts, feelings, nerves, fears, hopes and dreams and how they manifest in her day-to-day existence. There are times you want to yell at/hug/warn Kayla for her actions and times you simply want to share in the moment with her – without Fisher simply approaching Kayla as a real girl going through real things, there's no way the film would work as well as it does.
In a world where people have less and less time these days, spend less time interacting with each other, have personas on social media that don't match up with their real lives because everyone wants to make sure that they are "living their best life," Eighth Grade shows how all of those things are affecting today's generation – while still making anyone who's been a teen making sense of the world relate to the struggle of adolescence.
For a man who started off as a teenage YouTube wunderkind, Burnham is able to dig into his own firsthand knowledge with Eighth Grade and has created a film that crosses genders, (some) racial lines and ages to deliver something genius in its simplicity: A story about growing up with modern factors that makes a timeless experience relevant for all that watch it. As opposed to focusing on one particular issue and making Kayla have to overly dwell on it, Eighth Grade just goes over the basics of growing up: acceptance (both by others and of one's self), not knowing how to deal with starting to have sexual feelings, getting independence but still allowing one's parent(s) into their life and knowing why they care and maturing. Parents watching will be able to learn more about their kids than many standard conversations may likely deliver while kids will be able to watch someone who looks like them that doesn't make them feel preachy, over-the-top, sad, stupid and/or lost. Instead, it offers honesty and hope, which makes for an experience that is part comedy, part drama and potentially therapy for all involved.
Or, at its core, it's just a really good movie about a really relatable subject that is really something you'll enjoy if – much like adolescence itself – you just breath, realize you can and will get through it. Consider this a simple guide to get you through to the other side of the journey.
OVERALL RATING (OUT OF FOUR POSSIBLE BUCKETS OF POPCORN):
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