Eighth Grade review: A geeky joy-fest with one major flaw

I have one major issue with this film. And it’s a big one. A big dollop of curmudgeon-ey officialdom-ness has slapped a 15 certificate on it. What? This means that all the people who really REALLY need to see it, technically can’t. Which is a tragedy. An absolute tragedy. In fact it’s a travesty.

I genuinely, whole-heartedly and utterly believe that if I’d seen this film when I was in my teens I’d have had a happier existence and probably (perhaps) been a nicer person.

Fourteen-year-old Kayla (Elsie Fisher) shares her life with us. Sharing in the social media world is the new living, or so it seems. It makes me ask myself, if you’re not sharing, are you actually living?

Anyway, she is shy, awkward, round-shouldered and massively lacking in confidence. At school she barely speaks – but at home she makes online videos to help other people live better lives. These videos are super insightful and if she could practice what she preaches then life would be so so much happier.

The film is all about the characters with Kayla graduating from middle school and preparing to head off to high school. It’s quirky and wonderful. No one ‘gets’ Kayla and no matter how hard she tries to fit in she’s a massive outsider. She has her eyes set on the cool kid (obviously) but he’s horrid. The guy who is lovely is Gabe (Jake Ryan) who is as geeky as she is and wonderfully charming and nerdy and utterly loveable – largely because he’s totally himself which is a deeply refreshing joy.

Here are the eight things that Kayla taught me (I’m going with eight because there’s an eight in the title which therefore feels logical).

1. Be nicer to your parents. They just want you to be happy. Kayla’s dad Mark (Josh Hamilton) is so kind and caring and would do anything to make her happy. He even writes himself little notes to remind him what Kayla currently does and doesn’t like to eat – just so he’s sure not to make a mistake. But of course he does make mistakes but he’s so lovely and ernest your heart bleeds for him.
2. Be you. Just be you, that’s it. It’s basic bananas. Don’t try to like things that people you admire like. Just like the things you like and do the things you like. Because they make you happy.
3. Confidence isn’t a thing you get – it’s a thing you decide. It’s not like you’re playing a computer game and you go through all the levels and then it announces that you can now be confident. No one says you have the ‘confidence badge’ now. You just have to decide and tell yourself – I’m going to boldly go into confidence…or similar.
4. Don’t throw your phone – it breaks. Obvious but oh so useful.
5. Straighten your back. My mum spent her entire time nagging me about this and it used to frustrate the hell out of me. But watching Kayla lollop around with a curved back drove me insane. Just stand up straight dude. It will make everything better!
6. Don’t play truth or dare – it always ends badly.
7. Lists are cool – and Kayla’s list is particularly good. Also, they help you focus.
8. Watch this film. Now!

Bo Burnham wrote and directed this and to be totally honest I’d never heard of him until today – but he is a master of marvellous-ness and an insightful, erudite genius. Thank you Bo, thank you for making this. And if you can change the certification please do – because it will keep a whole load of kids off the prozac!