Review of Eighth Grade (2018) by Keithdow — 29 Jul 2018

Bo Burnham's 'Eighth Grade' is just as nuanced and sweet and achingly grounded in reality as one would expect from the Youtube star, comedian, and musician.

The opening monologue from Kayla, played by Elsie Fisher, posits that she has a lot to say but nobody really to say things to. However, one quickly realizes that it's through these monologue-style social media vlogs that Kayla is really speaking to the audience, and in turn, the socially awkward and conflicted eighth grader that resides in all of us.

Burnham's crystal clear characterization of pubescent life is to be expected. His magnificent camera work, however, is very much a pleasant surprise. Numerous static shots are perfectly composed, while other times the camera's movement adds to the emotional zenith of a scene, such as the apprehension one would inevitably feel in joining a middle school pool party. Add to this a brilliant soundtrack and it's obvious that Burnham has a genuine knack for feature filmmaking, with hopefully many more projects to come.