One of the most contentious and glorified corners of the cinematic universe belongs to the “teen film.” Reigning heroes of the genre are seen as beacons of light, providing muted guidance for aspiring filmmakers with several thematic mainstays such as “the social clique,” the art of partying and popularity and copious references to all things sex, drugs, and rock ’n’ roll.
However, while classic adolescent romps such as Fast Times at Ridgemont High, The Breakfast Club, and The Edge of Seventeen are hot beds for millennial pop culture, it is here where comedian Bo Burnham’s new movie Eighth Grade swiftly and purposefully cuts itself off from tradition.
Instead of a homage to angst and hormones, Eighth Grade—both written and directed by Burnham—is distinctly a love-hate letter to social media and its effects on the younger generation’s ability to make interpersonal connections. It most assuredly does not back away from showing the anxiety and discomfort of being a pre-teen; in fact, perhaps one of the movie’s greatest accomplishments is its ability to bring about nauseating flashbacks of one’s own experiences.
We explore this phenomenon through the eyes of 13-year-old Kayla, played by endearing newcomer Elsie Fisher. Online, Kayla is all bravado and self-confidence. She regularly posts advice videos on a YouTube channel and takes staged photos to populate her Instagram page.
Yet, Kayla is not the secure idol she makes herself out to be on social media and is simply a young girl, suffering from severe social anxiety and an inability to step out of her comfort zone with the other kids at school. From the cruel disinterest of the “popular” girls to an unrequited crush on a clueless classmate, Kayla runs through the gauntlet of teenage awkwardness, while the audience flinches alongside her.
The conflicting obsession with her phone and self-loathing bleeds into Kayla’s home life as well, as her single dad—played by a most understanding and sweet Josh Hamilton—constantly tries to connect with his daughter and is met with a distracted briskness.
The film culminates in perhaps one of the most uncomfortable yet blunt scenes of social pressures known to the teen movie universe, as Kayla finds herself in a traumatizing sexual encounter in the back seat of a car with a shirtless high school boy. What was previously seen as a victory for our young heroine as she becomes friends with a high school mentor quickly devolves into horrifying moment of panicked tension on both sides, and the trauma understandably leads Kayla into a disquieted sadness.
While the film keeps movie-goers covering their eyes, Burnham makes a glaring social comment on the effects the internet has on the development of young people. In a world that is increasingly connected through social media, kids are now locked in a need to constantly be performing versions of themselves online in order to exist within social realms. What does this pressure to carve out a virtual space for yourself before you even know who you are mean for your ability to connect with others and understand the world around you?
In a poignant, nuanced, and totally awkward take on the coveted teen film, Burnham, Fisher, and the rest of the film’s team have created a story that is brutally honest about the pitfalls of the contemporary internet age, yet still focuses on the courage of the human spirit in everyday life. Eighth Grade is a triumph for the modern teenager.
