Reddit Picks a Must-See 99%-Rated Dramedy as the Ultimate Guide to Gen Z
It captured the pain of coming of age in all its awkward glory.
The history of modern cinematography knows a number of decent attempts to depict the lives of zoomers who can’t help but compare themselves with their Internet idols. These include such titles as the massively popular Sex Education series (2019 - 2023) Jenna Ortega ’s The Fallout ( 2021) and last year’s hit, Rachel Sennott’s Bottoms (2023).
However, there is a far more realistic portrayal of Gen Z seen in the 2018 indie coming-of-age movie, which managed to earn an almost perfect critical score of 99% on Rotten Tomatoes. Even though it was aired in 2018, we bet you still haven’t seen it.
Its plot revolves around Kayla, a 13-year-old girl who uses YouTube to post motivational videos and to show herself. The other side of her reality is that she struggles to get along with her classmates and to make her way through the last week of middle school.
Kayla is supported by her loving father, whose help she completely denies. This forced loneliness makes the girl search for acceptance and love somewhere else, on the Internet, and there is no need to explain it’s a dangerous place for an eighth grader.
The dramedy explores not only the themes of complicated coming of age, girlhood and social media, but also harassment and mental traumas, trying to figure out how a teen can cope with them. Thus, it’s a must-watch for all modern parents and their kids.
As the movie is led by a female young actress and is mostly about the girls’ experience, it may come as a great surprise it’s written and directed by a man, and you may know him. It was the stand-up comedian and musician Bo Burnham who created this gem.
Yes, the author of Netflix ’s hyped Inside musical made this film in an attempt to reflect on his own onstage anxiety and panic attacks he experienced during his career. Burnham depicted it all through the life of a teenage outcast and nailed the art of realism not only by the perfect writing, but also by casting actual schoolers.
Titled Eighth Grade, it appears to be the best exploration of what it's like to be a Gen-Z.
“Kayla's a very well written and relatable character and it was one of the most realistic depiction of middle schoolers I've seen personally,” says Redditor @flightofwonder.
Don’t miss this impeccable movie gem, as Eighth Grade is available for watching on Netflix, Max and Prime.