FilmSnobReviews

Title: The Diary of a Teenage Girl
MPAA Rating: R
Starring: Bel Powley, Alexander Skarsgård, Kristen Wiig
Director: Marielle Heller
Runtime: 1 hr 42 mins

What It Is: 15-year-old Minnie Katz (Powley) lives in San Francisco with her mother Charlotte (Wiig) it’s 1974 and her mom’s boyfriend Monroe (Skarsgård) is someone that’s striking Minnie’s fancy. The young cartoonist is smitten with the older man. So much so she requests his services…sexually speaking. Monroe obliges. Taking her virginity and simultaneously opening Minnie up to a world of sexuality and creativity. How long can the forbidden lovers keep their tryst going? Who cares this story isn’t about that it’s about one girl exploring her sexuality and self in the backdrop of the 1970’s

What We Think: Not only does director Marielle Heller offer a fresh take on the…coming…of age story. Twentysomething Bel Powley is pitch perfect as our 15-year-old protagonist. Not only is she someone we can root for but the movie constantly keeps itself interesting. There’s some top notch production design that really leaves no question what decade we are in. It has this feminist American Splendor vibe to its animated segments. Its narration doesn’t hurt with that example. I am really not sure why but its tiny vibe and personal shot style really help this film feel like an intimate affair.

Our Grade: A, I loved this movie! Its soundtrack was stellar its performances endearing and even during the protagonists rough patches she stayed engaging. Marielle Heller was so damned surehanded in her decisions with this film I could see past the annoying overly feminist overtones to the whole thing. By the way, anyone who didn’t get the whole significance to the Patty Hearst case which happened around the time the film is set hit me up on Twitter or Instagram and I’ll give you my two cents on it. Obviously, I’m recommending you check out this film whenever you can.