July 20, 2018

Eighth Grade is in select theaters on July 13th, 2018.

Eighth Grade follows Kayla (Elsie Fisher - Despicable Me) as she tries to make it through the final week of her eighth grade year which caps off an overall dismal middle school experience.

The film is written and directed by comedian Bo Burnham, who makes his first leap onto the big screen from stand up specials and TV. Burnham is able to accurately capture the essence of that awkward stage of adolescence between childhood and being a teenager. It is so relatable no matter when it was that you experienced this stage of life yourself, all the while focusing it through the lens of the modern pressures of today where social media reigns supreme.

Elsie Fisher SHINES as the awkward preteen, Kayla, and delivers such a natural and engrossing performance that had me laughing, crying, and cringing right along side her. For being so young, she expertly carries the movie as the main protagonist, never skipping a single beat.

The band of supporting characters also deliver incredible performances that really add to elevate the movie and give it so many dimensions that provide a story that everyone can find themselves in.

Eighth Grade delivers a little bit of everything from comedy to drama to heart-warming, and heart-breaking, moments to YES, even a chicken nugget dinner by candlelight. It feels so unique and fresh and at the same time so nostalgic and familiar.

Rating: 5 out of 5

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