"Eighth Grade” is hilarious because it is so completely accurate. Director Bo Burnham must be in touch with his inner adolescent because every stereotyped kid and every overdramatic teenage tragedy is spot on. The film is one long pop culture reference and even though this causes it to be instantly dated, the struggles of Kayla are forever relevant. It needs to be this way in order to properly capture this snapshot of adolescence in our current technological age. The screenplay is really well-written, incorporating “umms” and “likes” into the dialogue of its teenage characters. There is so much awkwardness intentionally injected into every scene. The themes of peer pressure, anxiety, and sexting are accurate and effective as they explore the social issues of a generation that spends more time staring at a screen than looking up. As a teacher, this film is an important reminder to adults about how fragile preteens can be and that their sensitivity is important, no matter how silly the situation looks to us. 15-year-old Elsie Fischer is magnificent as Kayla. She really gets to the heart of the character as she awkwardly interacts with her peers but shows confidence in her internet videos. You would totally believe that this was her personal video diary. Subtleties like the way that she carries herself in the pool scene make her acting multidimensional. One of the best-written characters is Kayla’s dad. He is hilarious because he perfectly embodies every characteristic of a real-life embarrassing dad. Josh Hamilton balances his goofiness with a beautifully tender moment toward the end. His chemistry with Fischer feels like they are family. While the film could be very valuable to eighth graders with its important messages about self-worth and being yourself, the content goes beyond anything that I would ever let my middle schooler watch. There was some controversy over the MPAA’s decision to give it an R-rating but I believe it to be the correct rating. There are definitely things that could have been cut to make it more appropriate for teens without losing the film’s grit and message. “Eighth Grade” is a hilarious look back at those awkward middle school years. I found myself laughing out loud because the characters and situations are so accurate but at its core, it captures the essence of how scary the world looks through the eyes of an adolescent. I highly recommend the film, even if you won’t be able to enjoy it with your teens.
[Pictured: The awkwardness that permeates this film is palpable]
No comments:
Post a Comment