Eighth Grade

I have long admitted my personal proclivity for coming-of-age movies. But with few exceptions, these types of films have been cut from a similar and predominantly male cloth. You could always expect a coming-of-age flick to feature a group of guy friends (with maybe one girl, tomboy or otherwise), a nearly inhuman bully, and parents disconnected from the protagonist's life. These are shinier versions of real adolescence, where an ending can uplift you and there is a true sense of change for the better. "Eighth Grade" has some similarities with its older brethren, but it possesses a grounded reality that makes it feel like something different and truly special.

It's the last week of eighth grade for Kayla Day. Privately, Kayla is an outgoing and emotionally intelligent 14-year-old. Nevertheless, to the rest of her class she is more unknown, easily winning the superlative for "Most Quiet." As Kayla approaches the end of her middle school life and the start of her high school one, she begins to think about how she can and should change, all while navigating the anxiety inducing trails that are adolescence.

In his feature film debut, writer-director Bo Burnham has delivered one of the most honest and beautifully uncomfortable films about growing up. Burnham has found a way to tap into the truest form of middle school life, a time that people often gild in their reminiscing. Burnham isn't afraid to shine a light on these period and subsequently dwell in the land of the awkward and anxious. It makes for a film that many will have trouble watching, with dread creeping more than some more recent horror movies, yet it feels like absolutely essential viewing.

"Eighth Grade" is certainly a film of its time, with the prevalence of social media invading nearly ever crease and crevice. However, there is a timelessness to Burnham's writing, speaking to the deeper emotional toilings that can only accompany a body rampant with hormones. It is the type of film that you see yourself in while also being able to confidently exclaim "Boy, am I glad there wasn't Snapchat when I was that age." Some of that credit is owed to the film's lead, played wonderfully by Elsie Fisher. Burnham's words flow effortlessly from Fisher and she so subtly communicates her inner hardship, making the film all the more relatable, where a more bombastic performance may have been alienating.

The Blu-ray release has the usual trappings of modern day media releases. It comes with a handful of deleted scenes, a music video, and a more conventional "making-of" featurette. But the star is the audio commentary featuring Burnham and Fisher. Burnham alone has proven through his comedy to be a delightful mixture of charming, self effacing, and insightful. Adding to that is Fisher who's own naivety with the industry lends the commentary a more conversational vibe. You can tell that these two not only enjoyed working but also collaborating to make something more than just another coming-of-age flick. "Eighth Grade" is a fantastically mature tale of exceedingly immature times that acknowledges the hardships of puberty while not being afraid to hold onto a modicum of optimism. It is a deeply uncomfortable but rewarding film that deserves your time.

"Eighth Grade"
Blu-ray + Digital
https://www.lionsgate.com/
$16.99