Review of Jessica Darling's It List (2016) by Rangan R — 04 Nov 2017

Being oneself. Not to try to satisfy others!

Come on! This is an underrated film for sure. There are lots of children's films that are totally unrealistic. Well, there's no excuse for this film as well. But the thing is it was not like those ones. I'm talking about the clichés. When a film talks about a kid and his/her school life, like to be famous, they tend to do anything to accomplish that. So in this, the girl has her own 'to do' list, that's where the story kicks off.

Jessica is a below average girl when it comes to mix with the rest of the school. But she's good at studies and physically fit. Her new attempt to get along with everything like her best friend, Brie, is now a big task of her life. Following the footsteps of her older sister, becoming a cheerleader is the first obstacle. How she fares it and other developments in the tale comes in the latter parts.

The film was like 80 minutes long. The storyline was very simple and familiar. But the scenes were slightly fresher. I mean when I thought there will be mean girls in it, it avoided that. Similarly, jealousy, rivalry, the film sidelined them with limits. And ended positively. That's why it was a short and beautiful film. The actors were so good. Emma Ryne looks like a kid version of Blake Lively. I hope they would have a bright future. But I definitely want a sequel. If possible, turn it into a television series. This was based on the novel series, so there are lots tell about Jessica Darling.

8/10.