Bo Burnham is one of the most talented comedians I know. His recent special, Inside, was one of the best films to come out this year. With Eighth Grade, Bo Burnham continues to show his immense skill.
Eighth Grade is about Kayla, an introverted teenage girl, as she navigates her way through her final week in eighth grade.
From the coming-of-age tales I've seen relating to school, none of them have managed to capture the authenticity of what it's like going through that period as well as Eighth Grade. If you've ever been an unconfident or shy individual during school then Eighth Grade is going to hit very close to home like it did for me. The level of understanding Bo Burnham has for teenagers of this generation as well as social media is very impressive. There are so many details, small and big, that contribute to Burnham's honest portrayal of an eighth grader's life. It's so good to see actors that actually look like they belong in eighth grade rather than looking like they're in their twenties. I also love how Kayla actually has acne as there are so many films that give teenagers the perfect skin. It's small details like that which make me appreciate how much Burnham cared for this story. Another aspect that many filmmakers don't portray properly is social media. It's so gratifying to see someone like Bo Burnham actually depict social media in the way it is. The amount of teenagers constantly on the phone and the long duration of time they're on the phone is depicted so well and accurately reflects today's generation.
Burnham's script is filled with many wonderful and cringey moments. He manages to set up so many relatable situations that look like they're going to work in Kayla's favour but we, the audience, know that's not going to be the case. He merely shows these situations as they are without adding any style to it. It's the sheer simplicity of the dialogues and presentation that make these scenes hit so hard. Burnham tackled the difference in generation between the kids and parents so well with Josh Hamilton's character. Hamilton does an excellent job playing Kayla's dad as he's trying to fit in with today's generation, creating some emotionally powerful moments. All the actors do a great job but I have to give a special mention to Elsie Fisher as Kayla. She's so likeable in the role and conveys Kayla's discomfort and want to fit in incredibly well. She's truly phenomenal here and has a very promising career.
I didn't expect to like Eighth Grade this much but I'm amazed by how well Bo Burnham was able to provide a realistic depiction of that stage in a person's life. Directing kids, especially for your first feature, isn't an easy task but Burnham managed to succeed with ease. This is one of the best directorial debuts I've seen and is a film I'm going to keep close to my heart.
Eighth Grade is about Kayla, an introverted teenage girl, as she navigates her way through her final week in eighth grade.
From the coming-of-age tales I've seen relating to school, none of them have managed to capture the authenticity of what it's like going through that period as well as Eighth Grade. If you've ever been an unconfident or shy individual during school then Eighth Grade is going to hit very close to home like it did for me. The level of understanding Bo Burnham has for teenagers of this generation as well as social media is very impressive. There are so many details, small and big, that contribute to Burnham's honest portrayal of an eighth grader's life. It's so good to see actors that actually look like they belong in eighth grade rather than looking like they're in their twenties. I also love how Kayla actually has acne as there are so many films that give teenagers the perfect skin. It's small details like that which make me appreciate how much Burnham cared for this story. Another aspect that many filmmakers don't portray properly is social media. It's so gratifying to see someone like Bo Burnham actually depict social media in the way it is. The amount of teenagers constantly on the phone and the long duration of time they're on the phone is depicted so well and accurately reflects today's generation.
Burnham's script is filled with many wonderful and cringey moments. He manages to set up so many relatable situations that look like they're going to work in Kayla's favour but we, the audience, know that's not going to be the case. He merely shows these situations as they are without adding any style to it. It's the sheer simplicity of the dialogues and presentation that make these scenes hit so hard. Burnham tackled the difference in generation between the kids and parents so well with Josh Hamilton's character. Hamilton does an excellent job playing Kayla's dad as he's trying to fit in with today's generation, creating some emotionally powerful moments. All the actors do a great job but I have to give a special mention to Elsie Fisher as Kayla. She's so likeable in the role and conveys Kayla's discomfort and want to fit in incredibly well. She's truly phenomenal here and has a very promising career.
I didn't expect to like Eighth Grade this much but I'm amazed by how well Bo Burnham was able to provide a realistic depiction of that stage in a person's life. Directing kids, especially for your first feature, isn't an easy task but Burnham managed to succeed with ease. This is one of the best directorial debuts I've seen and is a film I'm going to keep close to my heart.