Eighth Grade. Junior High. Age thirteen. Any
fond memories of junior high? No?? Yeah, I didn’t think so. I don’t
know about you folks, but junior high for me was a mouthful of braces, bad
skin, dorky glasses, bad greasy hair, and barely in a bra. (Too much
information, but hey, we’re adults now.) Writer/director Bo Burnham
captures the horror perfectly in the film Eighth Grade. This film
is Oscar worthy, and the performance by Elsie Fisher (Kayla) is spot-on
perfect. In ninety minutes, Burnham presents the final week of eighth
grade. Kayla is voted Most Quiet much to her chagrin. She’s invited (by the
mom) to one of the “cool” girl’s birthday swim party. She comes out in a one
piece – slightly chubby – and looks around at all of the girls in two piece
bikinis. It’s a slow death moment. (I’ve been there).
Kayla’s a smart girl, cute, and as you watch the movie you
know she’s going to be fine. She’ll hit her stride in high school and truly
blossom in college. But for now – this week – is filled with the anguish,
torture, uncertainty, and naïve hope that is being thirteen. And there’s boys.
‘Nuff said. They are idiots. But there’s the super cute one voted “Best Eyes”,
and she wants his attention.
Plus Kayla is being raised by her father (Josh Hamilton)
who’s at a loss for how to deal with a kid becoming a woman. He’s used to the
adoring little girl. Now he’s got a teen who rolls her eyes, grits her teeth,
and stares at her phone. Anything he says is wrong. He’s helpless but cares so
much. Fortunately there is a moment in the movie near the end where he says the
right thing, has the right amount of silence, listens, and the love of a
father/daughter shines through.
Ninety minutes of moments are captured perfectly. Eighth
Grade is excellent quiet film making. I chuckled, I squirmed, I
re-lived some of the horror, and I was grateful to NOT have grown up in the age
of social media. It’s a cold cruel world at thirteen. This film is
brilliant.
