Review of Eighth Grade (2018) by V H — 08 Sep 2018

If I were to graph my happiness-level throughout my life, the low-point would definitely come during eighth grade. My family had recently moved from another part of the country, and being a shy, gawky, bespectacled nerd with an unfortunate accent, limited social skills, and all the wrong clothes, making any actual friends was far too lofty a goal - I just wanted to make it through the year with minimal ridicule.

Thus, I was keenly interested in "Eight Grade", a movie about a similarly friendless young girl named Kayla, who lives in an affluent suburban neighborhood with her dorky but well-meaning single dad.

The big difference between being an eighth grader now and when I was enduring it is apparent from the start: social media. Just about the only time Kayla puts down her phone is when she's on her laptop. In addition to constantly perusing and commenting on other people's posts, she also has her own YouTube channel where she posts a series of videos on topics like "the importance of being yourself" which hardly anyone ever watches.

I had a hard time understanding why Kayla has no friends. Other than being quiet and shy, she seems like a normal, well-adjusted 13-year-old who, in addition to being genuinely nice, also meets all of the superficial criteria that are so important to eighth grade popularity. She wears all the right clothes, she has the right hair and makeup, she's tethered to just the right iPhone. Though her skin isn't flawless and she's not rail-thin like Kennedy, a popular mean girl she unsuccessfully attempts to befriend, she's objectively pretty and it's hard to imagine that she's not in the top half of her class in terms of attractiveness. Surely her class must be filled with a lot more Kaylas than Kennedys.

Watching "Eighth Grade" was stressful and emotionally draining as I was in constant fear that Kayla would get hurt or make a regrettable decision. It felt like I was watching one of those horror movies where even during scenes showing people doing relatively boring things, you're constantly expecting Jason to jump out with a machete.

The best compliment I can give this movie is that if feels real. Uncomfortably real. Though Kayla does age 13 a whole lot better than I did, her struggle to navigate this, the suckiest of ages, is almost universally relatable.