The Diary of a Teenage Girl (A-) Movie Review
The Diary of a Teenage Girl stars Bel Powley as Minnie Goetze, a teenage cartoonist in 1970s San Francisco who begins sleeping with her mother's boyfriend, Monroe, played by Alexander Skarsgard, an event which triggers a sexual awakening for young Minnie.
Adapted from Phoebe Gloeckner's semi-autobiographical graphic novel of the same name, this is a bold film that a lot of young girls should see. It's a celebration of sexuality and your body if, albeit, under unconventional circumstances. Yes, the idea of fifteen-year-old Minnie sleeping with her mother's thirty-five-year-old boyfriend will turn a lot of people away from the film. It is Minnie's idea but there's no denying it's an uncomfortable and awkward situation. Still, just like the skillful director, Marielle Heller, we shouldn't judge Minnie's actions. She's a young woman, navigating the tricky waters of becoming an adult and what's wrong and right.
Minnie is one of the most complex and compelling characters of 2015. She doesn't just serve as a stand-in for the majority of girls who feel fat or awkwardly-proportioned, but she feels like a character with a distinct voice. The young woman who plays her, Ms. Bel Powley, is astounding. Powley's performance proves her to be one of the most audacious and compelling screen presences in quite some time.
Also, I must mention how excellent Alexandar Skarsgard and Kristen Wiig are in their roles. Skarsgard brings a surprising amount of sympathy to an otherwise wildly unsympathetic role. One of the film's best moments spouts from his performance as he's tripping on acid. Kristen Wiig continues to surprise me with her daring choice of roles. I wrote that earlier this year in my review for Welcome to Me and I'll write it again. Here, she pulls of the party-animal-mom well.
The whole film's aesthetic is also quite impressive. The Diary of a Teenage Girl does for the 70s what Carol did for the 50s, and that's about the biggest compliment I can pay the film in the visual department. The infusing of Minnie's illustrations also helps the film to come alive in the visual sense.
Director Marielle Heller makes her directorial debut here. When hearing Heller talk, it's obvious she has a deep love for this story. She first wrote a stage adaptation of the original graphic novel and played the role of Minnie herself. The Diary of a Teenage Girl's sensitive story benefits from an assured hand behind the camera. Heller is a talent to watch, as her refusal to judge Minnie and acute cinematic instincts work tremendously.
I feel like The Diary of a Teenage Girl occasionally loses its way, though, especially in the last third. The script makes a couple of odd detours that make the experience feel a little less coherent. Still, all around, this is well-written tale with sharp dialogue and profound observations on sexuality and love.
But more than anything, this is a bold film with an important message that deserves to be heard. Aside from being bold, it's also raw, funny, beautiful, inventive, and a celebration of life. The Diary of a Teenage Girl is one of the year's best films.
FINAL GRADE: A-
MPAA RATING: R for strong sexual content including dialogue, graphic nudity, drug use, language and drinking - all involving teens
Adapted from Phoebe Gloeckner's semi-autobiographical graphic novel of the same name, this is a bold film that a lot of young girls should see. It's a celebration of sexuality and your body if, albeit, under unconventional circumstances. Yes, the idea of fifteen-year-old Minnie sleeping with her mother's thirty-five-year-old boyfriend will turn a lot of people away from the film. It is Minnie's idea but there's no denying it's an uncomfortable and awkward situation. Still, just like the skillful director, Marielle Heller, we shouldn't judge Minnie's actions. She's a young woman, navigating the tricky waters of becoming an adult and what's wrong and right.
Minnie is one of the most complex and compelling characters of 2015. She doesn't just serve as a stand-in for the majority of girls who feel fat or awkwardly-proportioned, but she feels like a character with a distinct voice. The young woman who plays her, Ms. Bel Powley, is astounding. Powley's performance proves her to be one of the most audacious and compelling screen presences in quite some time.
Also, I must mention how excellent Alexandar Skarsgard and Kristen Wiig are in their roles. Skarsgard brings a surprising amount of sympathy to an otherwise wildly unsympathetic role. One of the film's best moments spouts from his performance as he's tripping on acid. Kristen Wiig continues to surprise me with her daring choice of roles. I wrote that earlier this year in my review for Welcome to Me and I'll write it again. Here, she pulls of the party-animal-mom well.
The whole film's aesthetic is also quite impressive. The Diary of a Teenage Girl does for the 70s what Carol did for the 50s, and that's about the biggest compliment I can pay the film in the visual department. The infusing of Minnie's illustrations also helps the film to come alive in the visual sense.
Director Marielle Heller makes her directorial debut here. When hearing Heller talk, it's obvious she has a deep love for this story. She first wrote a stage adaptation of the original graphic novel and played the role of Minnie herself. The Diary of a Teenage Girl's sensitive story benefits from an assured hand behind the camera. Heller is a talent to watch, as her refusal to judge Minnie and acute cinematic instincts work tremendously.
I feel like The Diary of a Teenage Girl occasionally loses its way, though, especially in the last third. The script makes a couple of odd detours that make the experience feel a little less coherent. Still, all around, this is well-written tale with sharp dialogue and profound observations on sexuality and love.
But more than anything, this is a bold film with an important message that deserves to be heard. Aside from being bold, it's also raw, funny, beautiful, inventive, and a celebration of life. The Diary of a Teenage Girl is one of the year's best films.
FINAL GRADE: A-
MPAA RATING: R for strong sexual content including dialogue, graphic nudity, drug use, language and drinking - all involving teens