Review of Eighth Grade (2018) by The3Academysins — 06 Aug 2018

Eighth Grade is all at once harrowing, hilarious, grim, hopeful, lonely, joyous, a cutting portrait of the toxic relationship between technology and today's youth, and a beautiful character piece taking place in the worst time period of adolescence. While funny in that trademark eccentric, Bo Burnham style, so many scenes are very uncomfortable and are quite scary in fact! The emotional tone set by the shots and performances in this film are incredibly strong. As for Elsie Fisher, this is a breakout performance and she truly carries the movie on her shoulders. The critique of youth and technology is very well made, with such uncomfortably funny scenes such as kids not taking a school shooting drill seriously, or the fact that they are all isolating themselves in the depths of the internet will hit close to home for a lot of viewers. As much as things change, they stay the same however, as sex and masturbation are recurring topics in this movie. Sex is portrayed as both awkward, disgusting, and in one beautifully constructed scene in the back of a car, terrifying and predatorial.

Bo Burnham has made an excellent first film. Elsie Fisher carries herself and this film with intense vulnerability and grace. I will not be surprised if I see Eighth Grade popping up in the awards season this year.