Among the many movie genres, the teen movie has been in my opinion, one of the more divisive types out there. A lot of these films are not very realistic or at least, they don’t feel that way. This is where Eighth Grade is different. Instead of showing us the dark side like some films choose as a form of realism, what we see here is just how awkward life is at that stage of life. The script by debutante director Bo Burnham and the flawless performance by Elsie Fisher, ensure that the film is relatable all along. The 8th grade in particular van be very challenging as it represents a transition in our lives. You are on the fast track to your teenage years and the various challenges that come with it. It can be difficult to deal with all this and technology has added to that. Ultimately, it all comes down to our need to fit in and the film explores that emotion beautifully.
This face in the picture above, is the one that defines the film. We see Kayla on her YouTube channel and she seems a different person but in the outside world, she’s shy, awkward and just wants to, (you guessed it) fit in. This is an emotion that is not just felt during your younger years, it can be felt no matter how old you are. The grass always feels greener on the other side. It looks like those people are having more fun than you. It feels like those people have more interesting lives than you. Honestly, that can be true or false but it is hard to be objective about that. For this, I would like to reply with a quote from an Indian film. It goes like this:
“In life, there will always be something better than what we have, but there is no use in changing ourselves to get the other thing.”
Until next time, bye.
Films & Frames 