It's a lazy Saturday for me today and I turned on this movie on a whim without really knowing what to expect. Adam Sandler movies are hit of miss for me. I certainly would not have put my money on him making such an authentic coming of age movie.
The story of two young girls figuring out friendships, first crushes, and priorities brought me back to my own life at that age. This movie doesn't hold back on the raunchiness of 7th graders. Its the time kids first start figuring 'adult' stuff out, often getting it wrong and out of sight of áctual adults. Meanwhile, there's also still a lot of 'kid' at that age - playing with dolls, making friendship bracelets, going to the movies with a parent. The story toed that line beautifully in my opinion. Its not a wildly original storyline, but the execution is great. Halfway through the film, after noting how warm the family dynamic was on screen, a quick google made me realize that the whole Sandler family got involved with this one. The script was well done and made me wonder if certain scenes or clips were pulled straight out of the Sandler Family lives. Knowing a family got to spend serious quality time doing this project together definitely gave watching this an extra dimension for me.
The acting was very well done, especially considering the female lead and her sister are clearly 'only' there because of their dad. They each have a lot of talent, and the lead role especially had a lot of fantastic scenes to showcase it. The chemistry between het and her best friend was very convincing, too. Nonverbal looks and small gestures made the yearning to make up feel believable.
The peripheral characters rounded the movie off nicely. Sarah Sherman's rabbi almost makes me want to convert. She's the resident fairy-godmother-guide and does this effectively, connecting with teens amid the outrageousness of her singular character. Little quips like the kid who keeps getting called out for no reason, or the friend who's learning to shave, brought consistent comedy and sillyness.
Is it a perfect and original coming of age movie with gravitas, like Booksmart or Lady Bird? Nope. Is it authentic, heartwarming, and relatable? Did it make me both nostalgic for my own childhood and excited for my future adventures as a parent of teens (hopefully)? Absolutely. Worth a watch if you're into that sort of thing!
The story of two young girls figuring out friendships, first crushes, and priorities brought me back to my own life at that age. This movie doesn't hold back on the raunchiness of 7th graders. Its the time kids first start figuring 'adult' stuff out, often getting it wrong and out of sight of áctual adults. Meanwhile, there's also still a lot of 'kid' at that age - playing with dolls, making friendship bracelets, going to the movies with a parent. The story toed that line beautifully in my opinion. Its not a wildly original storyline, but the execution is great. Halfway through the film, after noting how warm the family dynamic was on screen, a quick google made me realize that the whole Sandler family got involved with this one. The script was well done and made me wonder if certain scenes or clips were pulled straight out of the Sandler Family lives. Knowing a family got to spend serious quality time doing this project together definitely gave watching this an extra dimension for me.
The acting was very well done, especially considering the female lead and her sister are clearly 'only' there because of their dad. They each have a lot of talent, and the lead role especially had a lot of fantastic scenes to showcase it. The chemistry between het and her best friend was very convincing, too. Nonverbal looks and small gestures made the yearning to make up feel believable.
The peripheral characters rounded the movie off nicely. Sarah Sherman's rabbi almost makes me want to convert. She's the resident fairy-godmother-guide and does this effectively, connecting with teens amid the outrageousness of her singular character. Little quips like the kid who keeps getting called out for no reason, or the friend who's learning to shave, brought consistent comedy and sillyness.
Is it a perfect and original coming of age movie with gravitas, like Booksmart or Lady Bird? Nope. Is it authentic, heartwarming, and relatable? Did it make me both nostalgic for my own childhood and excited for my future adventures as a parent of teens (hopefully)? Absolutely. Worth a watch if you're into that sort of thing!