 |
| Image courtesy of A24. |
Middle school students are caught in that in-between in which they are on their way to being - at least one would hope - more mature high schoolers, but with one foot still in their childhood. For those who are painfully shy - like Kayla (a wonderful Elsie Fisher) - and socially awkward, middle school can be a nightmare of epic proportions. This film is filled with riotously funny moments - Kayla throwing tantrums at her extremely well-meaning father (Josh Hamilton, also great) - and ones that are painful to watch and, in both cases, this results from Burnham's ability to aptly capture how such moments actually play out.
We first meet Kayla as she films an entry into her YouTube series known as "Kayla's Korner," during which she gives pep talks to her peers on such topics as "Being Yourself" and "Putting Yourself Out There," although we're quick to learn that the sessions don't appear to draw many viewers and act to serve as wish fulfillment for Kayla. She peppers her talks with "like" and often stumbles over words, betraying the false confidence that she attempts to exude.
There's a particularly telling sequence early in the film when Kayla is invited to attend the pool party of one of her class's most popular girls. The girl's mother enthusiastically prompts Kayla to attend and her father encourages her to do likewise, but what both fail to realize is that the proposition mortifies poor Kayla. Clearly, the popular girl doesn't want to invite her and Kayla doesn't want to suffer the humiliation of attending a party where virtually no one talks to her - which is exactly what happens. Burnham zeroes in on Kayla peering through the glass sliding door of the girl's house and then pulls the camera back to reveal her classmates frolicking in the pool, while she decides whether to join them.
And what often makes "Eighth Grade" such an emotional rollercoaster is that for every well intentioned person whom Kayla comes across - her doting father and a kind hearted high schooler named Olivia whom Kayla shadows for a day - there's another who poses danger - the good looking jerk about whom Kayla fantasizes and Olivia's creepy high school pal who attempts to persuade Kayla into an uncomfortable sexual experience.
One of the elements that makes "Eighth Grade" so magical is that all of the actors portraying the middle schoolers appear to actually be of that age. Therefore, their performances - most likely colored by their own middle school experiences - feel genuine. Fisher is excellent, creating a character whose shyness masks a distinctive and interesting personality. It would be a tough enough role for any actor to play, much less one in her early teens.
"Eighth Grade" is filled with scenes that make us cringe - moments when Kayla is trying too hard to get the popular kids to like her, only to come off as awkward - and others that are just flat-out sad, such as one in which the students take part in a very lifelike drill regarding how to respond if an active shooter is on campus. Most of the kids spend much of their time being hypnotized by their smart phones, which also made the film feel somewhat alien to me - albeit in a fascinating way - considering my own young adulthood included no such things.
But mostly, Burnham's film accurately captures the middle school experience, and features moments that are touchingly true and groan inducing in their honest depiction of growing pains. It's also a movie that sneaks up on you. There's an emotional scene near the film's end when Kayla asks her father how he feels about being her dad. It's a lovely and heartbreaking conversation that is coupled with an emotionally satisfying finale in which Kayla shoots a final "Kayla's Korner" video, but one with more wisdom behind her words. This is an assured directorial debut. "Eighth Grade" is lovely and true.
No comments:
Post a Comment