BO Burnham was a YouTube baby who grew up documenting his life and thoughts on video. Now he is all grown up he has made a film about a teenager documenting their life and thoughts on video. Typical narcissistic millennials, right?
Not so. With Burnham, there is one very important difference to note: he is genuinely, astonishingly, talented. Comedian, musician, songwriter, he has now added filmmaker to his cv with a coming of age tale that stands with the best in an intensely competitive field.
Eighth Grade takes place over the course of a week as 13-year-old Kayla (Elsie Fisher) comes to the end of another school year. Not just any school year; this is the one that heralds the start of peak awkwardness and hormones running riot.
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Kayla has been voted “most quiet” in her class, hardly the kind of endorsement any self-respecting teen wants, especially not one who is a wannabe YouTube star. In reality, Kayla is a shy, spotty, young woman with no friends. In cyberspace she is a cool, confident maker of videos giving advice to her peers.
As we follow only child Kayla through the week, all teenage life is here including a parent (Josh Hamilton), who insists on such ancient rituals as talking to each other at dinner instead of staring into a phone.
Though Eighth Grade is of its online times, the ideas it deals with are universal and timeless. As a character she is sweet, funny, and a stone cold heartbreaker – an Austen heroine for the Instagram age. The scene in which the object of her crush tries to pressure her into going further than she wants, or the pool party where Heathers sneer at her, make you ache to give her a great big hug.
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Fisher is terrific, but so is Burnham’s screenplay. Subtle, witty, with a sure handle on the teenage self, he is confident enough not to spell everything out (such as where Kayla’s mother is, for example). His skills as writer and director are shown at their best in a conversation at the end of the week between father and daughter that will move any parent.
Another coming of age story out this week is Pond Life (15)***. Set in a post-miners’ strike South Yorkshire, the tale centres around a group of youngsters, among them a teenager with special needs (Esme Creed-Miles) determined to end a long hot summer by landing a giant carp of local legend. Patchy in places, inevitably so given how many characters’ stories are covered, but a film with a lot of heart and outstanding performances from its young actors.
Eighth Grade, selected release including GFT till May 9; Pond Life, GFT till May 2
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