Review of The Fits (2016) by Travis N — 18 Nov 2018

An intriguing film which leaves the viewer with more questions than answers, "The Fits" gently, and sometimes callously, prods ideas of conformity, adolescence, and womanhood. The ending proves itself to be quite polarizing, but in the very least is a trumph of choreography and cinematography.

Our main character is Toni (played by acting newcomer, Royalty Hightower), a tomboysih eleven-year-old girl with fierce eyes and a passion for boxing which she shares with her teen brother and mentor, Jermaine (De Sean Minor). Set in an urban, rough American neighborhood where boxing may be more than a form of entertainment, but also a useful tool, it seems only natural for Toni to emulate the tough characteristics of those around her.

Through ironic happenstance, Toni decides to pick up an urban, aggressive form of dance which compliments her masculine nature while allowing her to explore her budding feminine side. Along the way, she makes new friends: Beezy (Alexis Neblett), and Maia (Lauren Gibson). These friends serve an important role in making Toni feel accepted, and they give her the confidence to show her newly discovered femininity to the world.

Without warning or foreshadowing, a strange illness strikes. One by one, members of Toni's dance troupe, from oldest to youngest, fall victim to debilitating seizures, which they comically begin to refer to as "the fits." Likely a metaphor for puberty, the fits is an experience which every girl recollects as being unique to them alone. For viewers that connect with the idea of the fits representing puberty, this does an excellent job of forcing them to think of their own experiences with adolescence, including both the euphoric highs of entering adulthood as well as the notorious lows that come as a package deal for many awkward, transitioning teens. While toni is afraid and vulnerable as she anxiously awaits her turn, the experience is ultimately liberating for her personality, giving her the power to embrace her own womanhood.

Directed by Anna Rose Holmer, the metaphors of The Fits leave the movie feeling convoluted, but for those that get lost, this is salvaged largely in part due to excellent cinematography by Paul Yee. Though bland during certain slow stretches, I would recommend this movie to friends and family alike.