I had sex today. Holy shit.
So begins the magical, confrontational, uncomfortable film The Diary of a Teenage Girl. Based on the graphic novel by Phoebe Gloeckner, who also wrote the screenplay, Diary is a funny and unflinching glimpse into the mind of 15 year old Minnie Goetze (Bel Powley) who is equal parts horny, emotional, and whip smart. Growing up in 1976 San Francisco and being raised by a single mom who is *really* into partying (Kristen Wiig), Minnie has ample opportunity to explore her sexuality and her interest in comics and art...but she chooses to explore the former with Mom's 35 year old boyfriend, Monroe (Alexander Skarsgaard).
This is where Diary presents a challenge: Minnie's coming of age (which includes more than her sexual awakening, btw) is shown primarily through the lens of her ongoing sexual relationship with a man 20 years her senior. The filmmakers handle this relationship in the most balanced, honest way possible: they make it clear that it is as consensual as possible, with Minnie excited by sex with Monroe, but they also make it clear how manipulative and unequal it is, with Monroe turning his own guilt back on Minnie, saying that she's manipulating him. The filmmakers never excuse Monroe's actions or suggest that because Minnie has fully developed secondary sex characteristics she's not really a child. By examining Minnie's inner-world, which is much like an other 15 year old's--she makes many poorly thought out choices, but also has moments of wisdom and is often sharper and more clear-eyed than the adults around her--the film encourage us to understand and empathize with her relationship with Monroe while not thinking that it's totally ok.
Let me first say that the acting is incredible in The Diary of a Teenage Girl. Bel Powley, who is 23, plays the 15 year old Minnie as a girl who is becoming aware of her own power in the world. Her physical features are striking: a curtain of long, black hair; huge eyes; a lovely figure--and the film lingers on her body in a way that doesn't feel exploitative (perhaps because there is a female director behind the camera?) but feels...knowing. Minnie spends some time looking at her naked breasts in the mirror and contemplating her body. She feels fat, but she also feels sexy. I'd argue that this war of emotions over how to view our bodies is something every woman (can't speak for men, sorry) is familiar with.
Alexander Skarsgaard plays Monroe perfectly--he may be 35, but he's about as emotionally mature as Minnie herself. He's basically a really cute man-baby, so it's easy to see why Minnie would like him. It takes guts to play someone who fucks an underage person, and it takes talent to play them well--not as a total monster, but certainly not in a way that excuses his actions--so hats off to Skarsgaard. I can't really imagine anyone else in this role.
A subplot in Diary is Minnie's growing interest in comics and comic art. Living in San Francisco in the late 70's, she has opportunities to explore the world of underground comics (including sending Aline Kominsky some of her comics and getting encouragement back). The film incorporates graphic art, with scenes that fluidly move in and out of animation.
The Diary of a Teenage Girl shows a young woman exploring the boundaries of her sexuality and coming out the other side alive and better for it. This will disturb viewers who would prefer to think of teen girls as sexless and innocent. I can assure you--you're living in a dream world if you believe that. When I was 15, I was the ultimate "good girl"--no drinking, no drugs, and certainly no sex. But sex took up about 75% of my brain space. Like Minnie, I was both intellectually precocious and emotionally all over the place. That's the thing about 15 year olds that can be disturbing to adults: we might *look* like we're ready for the shit the world throws at us, but our brains haven't yet caught up to our bodies. The Diary of a Teenage Girl captures this paradox: humans at the peak of hormones and sexual desire who are still a little too young and inexperienced to know the full consequences of their actions. But instead of condemning or belittling the awakening a 15 year old girl might go through, Diary treats it as important and meaningful.
Grade: A
No comments:
Post a Comment