Bravo to Bo Burnham and Elsie Fisher. They really did capture what 8th grade felt like and I was pleasantly surprised how much I cared about Elsie's character Kayla when I didn't really know much about her. Like many of us who might have felt like outcasts or who weren't socially accepted, she gave great advice that she couldn't really herself simply out of fear of being rejected, but she did try.
The humor was very subtle which fit for this film. I did enjoy when I got the chance to laugh out loud with the cast, especially during the scene when Kayla and Gabe dinner scene.
Her father did an excellent job - trying to play it cool, but not too cool, and also wanting to be there for his daughter. I thought they worked well together. I also liked when they introduced the character of Olivia. The movie needed that outgoing friendly person to help Kayla on her journey and it gave us hope that things might be okay.
In the end, there isn't a huge revelation why Kayla is the way she is. They don't dig into her mental health, or go on in length about the absent mother, or what the father does for a living, or feel the need to have an adult step in and be a voice of reason. The movie presents a serious of simple experiences and puts an awkward teen said experiences, and the result felt very genuine. Personally I was transported right back to 8th grade. I can see why it has a 99% on RT and I definitely recommend it.
