by Josh Sewell
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| Courtesy of IFC |
With a dark cloud like the current COVID-19 pandemic, it’s tough to find silver linings. But if you look hard enough, you can spot them. There are the obvious ones, like how the best of us step up – despite the danger – to take care of those who need assistance: doctors, nurses, grocery store workers, teachers, etc.
But much, much further down the list of priorities is how entertainment can lift our spirits and provide a distraction in bleak times. For example, a few weeks ago, I was able to forget my raging anxiety for a bit when the cast of That Thing You Do! got together on YouTube to watch the movie, tell stories and raise money for organizations helping during the crisis. The same goes for the recent new Parks and Recreation episode, which reunited the cast – including superstar Chris Pratt – to tell a story that helped fans remember to take care of themselves and others in need.
This is also a time that viewers everywhere can watch uplifting films that would’ve only opened in limited release back when people could still go to theaters. Instead, beginning this Friday, you can watch the charming How to Build a Girl, a coming-of-age comedy, in the comfort of your own living room. While it has its flaws, including a few sluggish moments and some weird tonal shifts, the outstanding cast and sweet story ultimately makes this one worth an On Demand rental.
Based on the novel by Caitlin Moran (who also wrote the screenplay) and directed by Coky Giedroyc, How to Build a Girl takes place in early-1990s England and centers on Johanna Morrigan (Beanie Feldstein), a smart, awkward 16-year-old who uses her imagination to escape her go-nowhere life. For example, the posters on her wall aren’t boy bands or movie stars. They’re literary and historical figures like the Bronte sisters, Sigmund Freud and Cleopatra (played by recognizable actors in fun cameos), who she frequently turns to for advice.
Desperate to break free from the cramped apartment she shares with her four brothers (the eldest played by Laurie Kynaston) and eccentric parents (Paddy Considine and Sarah Solemani), she applies to write for an indie rock magazine known for its cynical take on the music scene. After getting the brush-off, Johanna reinvents herself as Dolly Wilde, a rude, brash critic with an insatiable lust for fame, fortune and men. It’s a blast at first, but she ends up leaving a lot of burned, hurting people in her wake. Once she reaches a breaking point, Johanna must decide if this is the type of girl she wants to be, or if she needs to start over and rebuild herself.
While the story beats of How to Build a Girl are predictable (which comes with the territory in pretty much any coming-of-age tale), the film works thanks to its irreverent, yet endearing tone and a killer cast. It’s reminiscent of Nick Hornby’s ’90s-era work, like High Fidelity and About a Boy, but from a refreshingly feminist perspective.
Beanie Feldstein, despite a spotty British accent, is outstanding. She’s charming, awkward and – in her most dreadful moments – outright loathsome in equal measure. Her character goes to some dark places, and it’s a credit to her talent that she’s able to win the audience back despite her behavior. The actress stole plenty of scenes as the best friend in films like Lady Bird and Booksmart, so I’m glad she finally gets a chance to play the lead.
Alfie Allen is also terrific as a soulful musician that Johanna instantly falls in love with. The actor plays a completely different character than viewers who’ve seen him in John Wick and the early seasons of Game of Thrones are used to. Rather than an arrogant lout with a face you just want to punch, he’s sweet, witty and vulnerable. The film uses his previous roles against the audience, setting them up to think the movie is headed one way and then pleasantly shattering their expectations.
Moran’s screenplay, which (like her novel) is loosely based on her own life, is full of funny and heartbreaking moments. She also trusts that viewers are familiar enough with the genre to know that a trainwreck is coming, which makes the inevitable crash hurt that much more.
It helps that Giedroyc’s direction is mostly grounded in reality, aside from Johanna’s fantasy sequences. Those moments are where cinematographer Hubert Taczanowski gets to experiment with cool, almost otherworldly lighting that emphasizes how much the protagonist wants to be on a different plane of existence.
While How to Build a Girl might not be an instant classic in the coming-of-age genre, I’ve got a feeling it will find a passionate audience if they can track it down. Fortunately, beginning this weekend, those viewers only have to punch a few buttons on their remotes or laptops and they’ll find a character they’ll immediately connect with.
How to Build a Girl is rated R for sexual content, language throughout and some teen drinking.
Grade: B
But much, much further down the list of priorities is how entertainment can lift our spirits and provide a distraction in bleak times. For example, a few weeks ago, I was able to forget my raging anxiety for a bit when the cast of That Thing You Do! got together on YouTube to watch the movie, tell stories and raise money for organizations helping during the crisis. The same goes for the recent new Parks and Recreation episode, which reunited the cast – including superstar Chris Pratt – to tell a story that helped fans remember to take care of themselves and others in need.
This is also a time that viewers everywhere can watch uplifting films that would’ve only opened in limited release back when people could still go to theaters. Instead, beginning this Friday, you can watch the charming How to Build a Girl, a coming-of-age comedy, in the comfort of your own living room. While it has its flaws, including a few sluggish moments and some weird tonal shifts, the outstanding cast and sweet story ultimately makes this one worth an On Demand rental.
Based on the novel by Caitlin Moran (who also wrote the screenplay) and directed by Coky Giedroyc, How to Build a Girl takes place in early-1990s England and centers on Johanna Morrigan (Beanie Feldstein), a smart, awkward 16-year-old who uses her imagination to escape her go-nowhere life. For example, the posters on her wall aren’t boy bands or movie stars. They’re literary and historical figures like the Bronte sisters, Sigmund Freud and Cleopatra (played by recognizable actors in fun cameos), who she frequently turns to for advice.
Desperate to break free from the cramped apartment she shares with her four brothers (the eldest played by Laurie Kynaston) and eccentric parents (Paddy Considine and Sarah Solemani), she applies to write for an indie rock magazine known for its cynical take on the music scene. After getting the brush-off, Johanna reinvents herself as Dolly Wilde, a rude, brash critic with an insatiable lust for fame, fortune and men. It’s a blast at first, but she ends up leaving a lot of burned, hurting people in her wake. Once she reaches a breaking point, Johanna must decide if this is the type of girl she wants to be, or if she needs to start over and rebuild herself.
While the story beats of How to Build a Girl are predictable (which comes with the territory in pretty much any coming-of-age tale), the film works thanks to its irreverent, yet endearing tone and a killer cast. It’s reminiscent of Nick Hornby’s ’90s-era work, like High Fidelity and About a Boy, but from a refreshingly feminist perspective.
Beanie Feldstein, despite a spotty British accent, is outstanding. She’s charming, awkward and – in her most dreadful moments – outright loathsome in equal measure. Her character goes to some dark places, and it’s a credit to her talent that she’s able to win the audience back despite her behavior. The actress stole plenty of scenes as the best friend in films like Lady Bird and Booksmart, so I’m glad she finally gets a chance to play the lead.
Alfie Allen is also terrific as a soulful musician that Johanna instantly falls in love with. The actor plays a completely different character than viewers who’ve seen him in John Wick and the early seasons of Game of Thrones are used to. Rather than an arrogant lout with a face you just want to punch, he’s sweet, witty and vulnerable. The film uses his previous roles against the audience, setting them up to think the movie is headed one way and then pleasantly shattering their expectations.
Moran’s screenplay, which (like her novel) is loosely based on her own life, is full of funny and heartbreaking moments. She also trusts that viewers are familiar enough with the genre to know that a trainwreck is coming, which makes the inevitable crash hurt that much more.
It helps that Giedroyc’s direction is mostly grounded in reality, aside from Johanna’s fantasy sequences. Those moments are where cinematographer Hubert Taczanowski gets to experiment with cool, almost otherworldly lighting that emphasizes how much the protagonist wants to be on a different plane of existence.
While How to Build a Girl might not be an instant classic in the coming-of-age genre, I’ve got a feeling it will find a passionate audience if they can track it down. Fortunately, beginning this weekend, those viewers only have to punch a few buttons on their remotes or laptops and they’ll find a character they’ll immediately connect with.
How to Build a Girl is rated R for sexual content, language throughout and some teen drinking.
Grade: B
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