And not only has the sub-genre begun to rise, but now with new storytellers coming to offer a more mature sense of observation, they make for modest, natural, and sometimes brutally honest portraits of the turbulence and mundaneness of adolescence. And the trend continues with the release of writer/director Bo Burnham's Eighth Grade, of which I'm lucky enough to see before its wide release.
When first we meet main character Kayla, played by breakthrough lead Elsie Fisher, we catch her in the midst of recording one of her daily YouTube Vlogs. Her topic of the day: standing out. As she rattles off some speech about putting yourself out there, and coming into your own as a person, there ironically isn't anything particularly spectacular or inspired about anything she says. Many of these Vlogs tend to turn into extended ramblings, talking herself in circles as she struggles to get to the point of her videos. But through each topic she covers, including confidence and friendship, it's clear that she's not the ideal person to be giving advice, when she tends to not fully grasp exactly what she talks about.
All in all, her videos come across as one of a thousand other similar would-be stars of the platform, not gaining much traction or views, directly mirroring her school life as a social outsider. Social media becomes a constant within the film, especially as her school system emulates it by being made up of those social butterflies and cliques that exude popularity, while many others craving the same attention tend to fade into the background (a situation I'm sure Bo Burnham can attest to, coming from a background of making videos for YouTube). Because Kayla is such an uneventful and shy girl, even being voted as quietest student at school year's end, she very easily tends to recede despite her best or most cloying efforts, especially in large group settings that become like a non-stop barrage of voices from every direction.
And I relate so much to this. That's really the beauty of this film, in capturing the challenges and hindrances of diving into gregarious settings too far, and too fast. There's always this inherent desire to emulate those popular people, with some assumption that it will increase your chances of standing out. If anything, that attempt to force change more often reinforces those barriers rather than knocking them down, as some people are simply more sociable than others. It's no surprise that Kayla's most prominent connections tend to come in the characters with a more intimate setting and focus where she can just be herself, including her father (a hilarious, but tender Josh Hamilton) trying to break through her try-hard nature, and convince her to see her own qualities that make her unique.
While less scathing than the likes of Lady Bird, it still manages to be no less brutally honest with how it deals with that adolescent insecurity, and the confusion that comes with its transitions. But there is also a lot of humor to be mined from that awkwardness, as much of the film has such a modest charm to it, embracing the absurdity to come from Kayla's attempts to stand out and be noticed, including the lengths of making herself sound more adult than she really is, and the perception that to be grown up means to have everything figured out. There are some truly fantastic jokes, with the best one coming about midway through the film, as Kayla's habit of talking herself into circles undermines her again. It's best experienced without being spoiled, but let me just say it left me in a fit.
But to hold it all together, we have Elsie Fisher in the lead (best known as the "It's so fluffy!" girl from Despicable Me). This is a star-making role for her, one where she exhibits the delicate fragility of her character with a wisdom beyond her years. Unspectacular she may appear, but she carries the film with this tremendous charm, empathy, and magnificent poise with such honesty, and does succeed at making this character stand out as truly unique. It's such a relatable turn as well, as while I can't attest to her personal experience, I can attest how keenly tuned in she is to the aimless wandering that comes with the experiences of growing up. And as the movie gradually proceeds, she even makes those rambling Vlogs feel poignant, especially as they offer her a very invaluable thing: release. Her general thoughts may feel generic in the grand scheme of things, but even so, as we see her fiery resolve grow even stronger, and she becomes more passionate in the way she talks, while we may not always be sure of what she's ultimately getting at, we can see how important they are to her.
While not necessarily in the same league as Lady Bird (though maybe it's more digestible if you'd prefer that), it is no less sweet and affecting a portrait of the innocent, and scary confusion that comes with those wayward early teen years. It's an unassuming film, but a deeply felt one, likely to create big, bright careers for both its main architect and performer.
Well, thank you for reading, and that's all for now. Gucci!
****1/2 / *****
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