The Starling Girl

FULL SPOILER-FREE REVIEW @ https://thatshelf.com/the-starling-girl-review/

"The Starling Girl addresses the impact of religion on young women's lives, particularly tackling how sexuality, love, freedom, and personal identity relate to fundamentalist pedagogy. A solid directorial debut by Laurel Parmet, deeply exploring a self-discovery arc by a compelling protagonist who represents countless women taught and forced to hide and fear much of what defines them as human beings with feelings, desires, and dreams. An empowering, insightful story elevated by an underappreciated cast, including a career-best performance from Eliza Scanlen."

Rating: B

Whats required to attain acceptance from others? Thats a tricky question, especially for those who are going through the coming of age process. It can be even more confounding for those who are part of a community that demands rigid conformity on an array of fronts. So it is for 17-year-old Jem Starling (Eliza Scanlen), a questioning young woman from a small Kentucky fundamentalist community. She wants to fit in, but she also endeavors to know herself, a quest that carries with it some puzzling yet innate contradictions, many of which are brought front and center when she begins to develop feelings for her married youth pastor (Lewis Pullman), a connection based on emotions that turn out to be mutual. But what is Jem to do follow her heart...

Wonderful. Almost perfect. A gripping and moving story, small and intimate in style, but colossal in impact. Great performances all round, particularly the searing one by Eliza Scanlen, whom I hadn't heard of before, but I'll be looking forward to seeing her in something else. Strange how it's often the movies I keep postponing for later because I think they'll be boring that end up being the most enthralling and entertaining.