Eighth Grade Review

(3.5 / 4)

A harrowingly intimate and oftentimes comical portrayal of the way social media has complicated the already overwhelming transition from childhood to adulthood.

Eighth Grade marks the writing and directorial debut of multifaceted entertainer Bo Burnham, and on paper, a tender film such as this feels a bit unexpected. Burnham’s work, while always hilarious and witty, is consistently laced with profanity and touches on provocative, sensitive subjects in an almost arrogant manner. If one looks beyond this exaggerated stage persona though, Burnham’s songs have always contained cutting insights into the human condition and the hypocrisy present in the world. Songs like “Repeat Stuff” offer a biting criticism of the carefully constructed nature of mainstream pop songs but also demonstrate a degree of empathy for the unsuspecting adolescent victims of this manipulation. Bearing this in mind, it makes perfect sense that Burnham has masterfully crafted a sincerely honest portrait of the angst and dread that accompany growing up, whilst delivering this message through his own comedic lens.

The film quickly ushers the audience into the world of adolescence now updated for today’s digital native generation, where social media is your stage and the path to your true identity is contingent on the approval you receive in the form of “likes” or “retweets.” The eighth grader at the center of this film is Kayla (Elsie Fisher), a self-help youtuber by trade, harkening back to Burnham’s own origins as his career began through the use of the video sharing service back in 2006. Kayla is on the eve of middle school graduation, and after opening a time capsule from the start of middle school, she realizes that she has fallen short of all of her self-imposed goals. Her love life is abysmal, her social life is lacking, and she can’t escape the quiet girl label in school despite herself feeling that she is not a quiet person. Kayla is determined to rebrand herself and to start achieving the standards she feels are essential, however, this task proves to be more difficult than just being herself.

Not enough can be said about Elsie Fisher’s portrayal of Kayla. The young actress provides a tremendous performance that will simultaneously break your heart while also conveying the awkwardness of adolescence in a hilariously endearing fashion. Fisher shines during her conversations with her father (played very well by Josh Hamilton) in which the level of sincerity and confusion provided makes it impossible not to identify with Kayla’s troubles on at least some level.

Another huge factor in the film’s potency is in how the tale feels authentic from head to toe. Unlike many coming of age stories nothing is sugar-coated. Despite being humorous for a large portion, the film commendably broaches some unexpectedly disturbing yet sadly realistic conflicts for a 14-year-old. The dialogue amongst the teenage characters feels true to life as well, especially regarding the lack of sensitivity when interacting with others. The resolution offered by the film also aligns with this authentic feel. As with life, there are no easy answers, but the only thing one can do is to keep moving forward, which is harsh but uplifting and inspiring at the same time.

It’s also worth mentioning the impressive direction Burnham provides. There is a scene early on in the film in which Kayla enters a pool party she is anxious about that perfectly encapsulates the essence of what makes Eighth Grade brilliant. From the hilarious electronic dubstep musical cues and the disorienting camerawork, Burnham elevates the scene and deftly portrays the horrors of adolescence whilst reveling in the absurdity of the situation, especially from an adult’s perspective.

Eighth Grade is not to be missed. I look forward to seeing what type of film Burnham tackles with the next film he helms.