Eight Grade: Awful Time, Fantastic Movie
Eight Grade is an awkward, uncomfortable and cringe worthy movie that will break your heart wide open. It is both a commentary on social media and a testament to the timeless awkwardness that is the age of 13. While it is specific to the current generation of eight graders who have grown up on Twitter and Instagram, the overarching theme of self acceptance will resonate with everyone, no matter when they were in eight grade.
Bo Burnham's film tells the story of 13 year old Kayla who is on the cusp of growing up while also still being painfully young. Burnham writes and directs it with such tact that Kayla's problems and anxieties are somehow very specific to her age and yet incredibly relatable to anyone. Inherent awkwardness is a defining part of being in eight grade and the film hits that feeling right on the mark. It's an unavoidable time in life when all anyone wants is to fit in and watching Kayla go through it felt like I was going through it all over again myself. Any emotion you can remember feeling as an eight grader has a place in this film-anxiety, self doubt, excitement, curiosity, the relief over not having completely embarrassed yourself on any given day. This movie made me feel like I took on every one of these emotions and by the end I was overwhelmingly relieved to not be anywhere near my early teen years anymore.
Elsie Fisher plays Kayla with a subtly that seems beyond her years and brings immense heart to the character, making her a pure joy to watch. Josh Hamilton's character Mark, Kayla's dad, is a wonderful portrayal of a sweet dad doing his best and I couldn't watch without crying. He roots for his daughter in such a genuine and loving way that at times I felt as though I was watching something that was so personal I should look away and let the pair have their moment.
For a movie whose narrative is so internal, Burnham skillfully manages to keep the audience captivated throughout. There's something about Kayla that everyone can recognize in themselves, which gives the film real depth and heart. Eight Grade is the kind of film that will crack your heart open and make you feel overwhelmed with emotion in the best way possible and I highly recommend it.