Eighth Grade: SXSW Movie Review

Eighth Grade marks comedian Bo Burnham’s directorial debut, and stars Elsie Fisher as Kayla, a shy thirteen-year-old girl trying to survive the final week of her eighth-grade year before leaving to high school. Similarly to “Blockers”, this is a premise that has been explored before again and again. But what makes Eighth Grade so refreshing is how meticulous it is in representing the so-called “Generation Z”. 

Burnham manages to portray the angst, the pimple-faced awkwardness and relentlessly cruel world of middle school so painfully honest, without ever mocking our protagonist. Elsie Fisher shines as Kayla, bringing a lot of depth and humanity to what could’ve easily been an archetype of a character. We laugh with her, we cry with her, and we cringe while remembering the memories of our own middle school days. It comes no surprise that the 27-year-old comedian, Bo Burnham, effortlessly weaves in commentary about the psychological effects of social media, burgeoning teenage sexuality, and the disconnect between generations. Eighth Grade is a laugh-out-loud funny, incredibly heartfelt and painfully real journey back to a time most of us wish to forget.

A24 Films will release “Eighth Grade” on July 13th. Click to watch the trailer below.

Jordan Figueredo

Cigar City Magazine Staff Writer and Movie Critic
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