Turfseer Could Bo Burnham, comedian and long-time YouTube internet star, be the next Judd Apatow? With his first feature, Burnham has done his research into the minds and sensibilities of teenagers stuck in that awkward age just after the onset of puberty and before becoming more independent during the heady days of high school. Eighth Grade focuses on his young protagonist, Kayla Day, winningly played by Elsie Fisher, who has been in the acting business since she was five years old. Usually in these coming-of-age stories focusing on school, the protagonist is pitted against a tangible opponent (often a bully) and much of the plot revolves around the conflict between the two. But here Burnham eschews such familiar tropes and hones in on Kayla's internal arc, highlighted by her lack of self-esteem and a journey to assert herself in a world which relies on social media to establish one's social cred. Kayla is raised by a single parent father, Mark, who thinks the world of her but has difficulty communicating with his daughter as Kayla often feels embarrassed by his awkward entreaties. Instead she holes herself up in her room, creating motivational videos, which she posts on the internet but no one listens to. The videos are actually quite prescient and suggest she has a lot more on the ball than what her classmates give her credit for (she's voted "Most quiet" in an awards ceremony at school at the beginning of the film). Indeed it's Burnham's sharp observations about student life that lift this film way above the clichés of the genre. In addition to the offbeat awards ceremony just alluded to, there are a slew of neat, unexpected activities at the school we're introduced to. For example the students open up "time capsules" which they made on their first day at middle school. Now they watch their younger selves speaking to their older counterparts, wishing them good luck on their impending graduation and entrance into high school (at film's end, Kayla creates a new "time capsule," wishing her good luck on her next foray into college). More unusual and compelling stuff: students undergoing a drill, where a teacher is dressed up as a school mass killer and instructed how to react if such a deadly situation arises (a sorry commentary on the state of affairs in this country at the present time!). Later, the eighth graders are paired up with high school students for a day at the local high school where they gain some valuable "experience" in what to expect when they begin attending in the fall. Eighth grade is not plot heavy and depends on a series of vignettes that chart the protagonist's journey. Kayla is invited to the birthday pool party of a girl whom has snubbed her in school, but attends at the behest of the rival's mother. There she confronts Aiden, a boy she has a crush on, offering to send him nude pictures of herself. The boy counters by asking her if she knows how to give oral sex. This then results in Kayla's desire to educate herself on the subject by watching explicit online videos as well as practicing with a banana (practice which fails to come to fruition, after she's interrupted by her father). The second act dark moment arrives after Kayla hooks up with Olivia, the high school student she was paired up with at school. Burnham smartly contrasts the older teenagers' more sophisticated banter with some of the more monosyllabic utterances of the younger crowd Kayla has been interacting with earlier. In perhaps the most harrowing scene in the film (which hardly should be called harrowing), Kayla gets a ride home with Olivia's friend Riley, one of the older high school students, who parks his car, gets in the back seat with Olivia and begins playing a game of "truth or dare." He gets as far as taking his shirt off when Kayla makes it clear that she wants him to stop and drive her home. Fortunately there are no real tragic moments in the film but it's a learning moment for Kayla, who finally pours out her heart to her father, after the traumatic event. If there is one flaw to this film, Burnham has some trouble wrapping things up. There's the overly sentimental scene involving the embrace between father and daughter as well as Kayla rather abruptly effecting her comeuppance of Kennedy, whom she bluntly tells off in the school hallway, right before film's end (maybe not the best way to demonstrate how she's found her confidence). It's Burnham's observational skills about today's environment permeated by social media, as well as the psychology of the teenage mind, that prove he is a talent to be reckoned with. In addition, with his adroit use of social media and overall clever cinematography (not to mention the great use of music to enhance the drama), Burnham has already positioned himself as a major force in the cinematic world today.

pamma09 I am a grandmother and my kids did not have the social media issues that kids have not. I really think this was a fair presentation of what life is like for so many kids not. Kayla is not one of the popular girls - she does a video on things that interest her and has a few followers. She is trying to boost her self esteem and that is so true to life. The whole film is from Kayla's viewpoint, her reactions to friends and non-friends is so real. The pay attention to me but don't pay attention to me is so well shown. The relationship between father and daughter is beautiful and real. Elsie Fisher is so perfect for this role. Bo Burnham succeeds in his first writing and directing - can't wait to see what else he does. Thank you for making this such an honest film.

hollowpirapple Holy hell this movie will dig deep into every insecurity you've ever had, and make you remember all of it. The movie makes you remember what it was like to attend middle school, with kids acting like cutthroats and trying in every way to be the most popular kid in school. Bo Burnham found something with this movie, something about the American psyche that is changing, how much we rely on others opinions to feel good about ourselves. The lead actress is someone that found a way to confidently show off awkwardness and anxiety with some simple facial expressions and even the way she breathes in a scene. So much emotion was shown in every second. Just completely blew writing out of the water.

artmed Although it may "relate" to being a 13 yo (pick any time in the past thousand years), this is a totally dated yawn. Its a tough period of life, no doubt, but that in itself cannot recommend this film. (My three is high.) All I can attribute to the raves is the reviewers' own hella year. The clueless dad is interesting only in his omissions: single moms, teenagers' privacy, *any discipline whatsoever, and why he left his daughter's teeth so twisted into high school. Fail. Dads win custody so rarely IRL, in fact, that the omission of any Why is radically unrealistic. Craft loses to lack of content and time-limitedness by trying to be *quite so hip. This film is outdated by December. WHEN will phones be banned in schools? JEEEZus