Eighth Grade is such an authentic and genuine movie. It is heartbreaking to watch as most of us can relate to those awkward years when you are trying to figure out who you are, connect with friends, separate from parents (all the while still needing reassurance that they will be there for you no matter what) and having your body ravaged by hormones. Ugh! It’s the worst and this movie perfectly captures the entire excruciating experience like a 2-hour Polaroid picture. The movie follows Kayla, through her last year of middle school. She has a vlog (video blog for those who are not in the know) preaching about issues and topics that she does not herself embody. It’s almost like a way she can try on a different hat and see if it fits or it’s a way to express who she wishes she were or could be if only she weren’t so self-conscious/anxious/nervous. She receives a time capsule from when she was starting middle school and is shocked to find that she hasn’t changed that much. She is preparing to make a new time capsule to read when she graduates and feels stuck, as we all would, to who she is and who she is going to be in 4 years. In many ways Eighth Grade is timeless because even though I was in eighth grade many, many years ago (I just celebrated my 20-year high school reunion), I could still very easily relate to this young Kayla. I saw it with several girlfriends and we all kept turning to each other and acknowledging that we remember that feeling/moment. Eighth Grade is also modern and today with a key player in the movie being social media. I am SO glad that social media and cell phones were not around when I was younger. I struggle now, as an adult, with comparing and feeling like everyone is living a bigger, better, more exciting life than I am. I can’t even imagine how a teenager or pre-teen would feel seeing friends post about parties they weren’t at or beautiful selfies which have been heavily altered and enhanced and wondering, why don’t I look like that and they do???  I have two quotes from Eighth Grade that are too amazing to not share, both come from Kayla while she is doing her vlog. The first quote is about being yourself, “What does it mean, being yourself? Aren’t I always myself” I guess being yourself is about not changing yourself.” And the second quote is about confidence, “A big part of confidence is being brave, and you can’t be brave without being scared.” Words to live by Kayla, words to live by.

There is very little not to love about Eighth Grade. It is and sweet and lovely ode to a time we all want to forget but will always remember.

Grade: A