Review of The Diary of a Teenage Girl (2015) by Peter F — 06 Aug 2015

For Marielle Heller's directorial debut, she gives us a frank coming-of-age story that is as uncomfortable as it is uplifting. Adapted from Phoebe Gloekner's graphic novel, the film find it's most unconventional factor in how it corporates artwork into the shots.

The animation is often beautiful and humorous at the same time, and really lets viewers delve further into the mind of the protagonist. Speaking of which, Bel Powley gives a remarkable performance as Minnie, and she's surrounded by a very sturdy supporting cast, particularly Wiig who is having a really prolific and eclectic year.

Heller also thankfully doesn't hold back on topics of sexuality, and the film gets into topics you don't often see explored in mainstream American cinema. Ultimately, The Diary of a Teenage Girl may be a bit too common-place in its arc to be considered a masterpiece, but it's an exceptional debut film, and a must-see for fans of art house/indie cinema.