Movie_Muse_Reviews The title "The Diary of a Teenage Girl" sounds like it would entail a fairly tame iteration on a female coming-of-age story, yet Marielle Heller's debut as both writer and director happens to be the boldest coming-of-age indie ever made – and the most challenging."Diary" stars Bel Powley as Minnie, a 15-year-old aspiring cartoonist in 1970s San Francisco looking for an opportunity to lose her virginity. She does, and it comes in the form of her mother's (Kristen Wiig) boyfriend, Monroe (Alexander Skarsgard). As their illicit relationship becomes more and more involved and complicated, Minnie's relationship with her sexuality – and herself -- becomes equally so.There's no denying that it is difficult to overcome the moral issues of Minnie and Monroe's affair, and it requires of Heller a very sensitive touch and an iron-clad sense of purpose. She sugarcoats nothing for those with delicate sensibilities. There are a lot of sex scenes that by their very nature will make viewers uncomfortable, but Heller successfully avoids exploiting the character or veering off-message. She treats Minnie as an adult, and in her writing, it's clear that neither character is solely responsible or solely to blame for the relationship. The hardest thing to shake, as a viewer, is our tendency to be moral judges of Minnie's decisions and to hold notions of what the consequences should or will be for her actions. Switching gears and abandoning that approach to watching this story will be harder for some than others, but once it becomes clear that Heller's vision is completely judgment free, it becomes easier to embrace that aspect of the film.Naturally, the explicit nature "The Diary of a Teenage Girl" makes it instantly different than most coming-of-age movies. The usual archetypes associated with this sub-genre are much less ubiquitous, and the notion of a "loss of innocence" in the literary sense gets completely redefined here considering Minnie actively plays a role in it. The '70s time frame is a bit of a clue that this is not a movie intended for budding teenagers, rather for people who have already been through such formative, challenging experiences. Further evidence: the story comes from Phoebe Gloeckner's semi- autobiographical graphic novel of the same name.The maturity of the film, especially as it sees Minnie, requires a lot of Powley. She must be wide-eyed and optimistic, yet also advanced for her age and kind of devious. She must be sure of herself, yet unsure at various moments throughout the film. Powley (22 at the time of filming) is just old enough to get it down pat. As much as Minnie has flaws, we never come to despise her, and that credit belongs to the writing. There's a poetry to the diary narration in the film, but it's language that resonates. So much of what Minnie thinks and feels mirrors our own experiences (especially the insecurities), even if those experiences weren't as scandalous.Because we see the supporting characters from Minnie's perspective, they have to work harder to earn our empathy. It's virtually impossible for Skarsgard to earn it as Monroe, but he does convey that Monroe is a deeply lost, childlike soul. Wiig, on the other hand, does an impressive job in this non-traditional role for her as the mom, Charlotte. Charlotte does hard drugs with friends and says all the wrong things to her daughter, but her love for Minnie is apparent as are her other struggles. Her lack of affection and approval of Minnie undoubtedly has a hand in her desire to seek it through Monroe and others through sex.The animated graphic elements styled after the novel are excellent, if not underutilized. At the same time, adding this facet to the movie creates a slight bombardment of storytelling styles. You have the narration piece, the cartoon/animation piece and then the fact that this is a movie. It splinters the film's identity a bit, but all these media have something to offer the viewer in conveying Minnie's journey and experiences.Where Minnie arrives at the end of the movie is pretty satisfying and inspiring, even if you have to wonder whether a 15-year-old is really capable of arriving there. The story has a strong feminist message that people still struggle to learn, and has real-world value. It took some really uncomfortable, traumatic stuff for her to get there, but her self-discovery is more poignant than most of her indie coming-of-age peers.~Steven CThanks for reading! Visit Movie Muse Reviews for more

Reno Rangan Well, the first thing is this film is not for everyone. Because the contents were too strong for being a teen theme. That means it is good for the grown ups to watch. The story of a 15 year old girl in the 70s living with her mother and small sister. It begins when her sexual urges takes off, her first with a middle aged man. So she documents everything and besides, with her close friend's support, they together explore even more options. Being a minor and yet her real life to commence, what she plans for the future determines the remaining developments.The performance by Bel Powley was amazing. She was the perfect choice to play that role despite she's older than the role. There were many nudes and sex scenes, but was not that strong, especially when compared with the similar themes of the present era films. The pace had lots of ups and downs, but the progression was on the right path which actually saved the film.The story was just fine, no complication to understand and also not easy to explain, but in a short, it was a teenage girl's sexual exploration. Everybody gets into that stage of life, but only few courageously opts a path to accomplish. And for some, it is an open opportunity that makes them to get there than intentionally make that move. I felt the film was well adapted from its book and directed by a newcomer, Surely worth a watch, but again I'm saying that it is not for everyone.7/10

arseniy Such a painfully typical and yet utterly unique story - all at the exact same time. And despite this being the case for all our stories - said juxtaposition remains an ever-difficult one to capture. Success in so doing, most always constituting the mark of a great film. Another ever-illusive and critical such juxtaposition largely pulled off here - is to help empower on the one hand, and yet to do so honestly on the other. Instead of spouting proud PC (black/elderly/latin/native/girl/etc.)- power escapism propaganda - peddled by so many lesser films. Abandoning honesty/objectivity is just so rarely worth the grave corresponding price. While honest empowerment, most always transcends simple-minded, biological-marker-based team-think. And so, ultimately, this is one of those comparatively few films - which makes me genuinely happy it exists. Minor warts and all.

CineMuseFilms Given the global angst over institutional paedophilia it is not surprising that The Diary of a Teenage Girl (2015) is generating controversy. Views are divided about whether this coming-of-age teen pic glamorises statutory rape or portrays a lonely teenager's exploration of self-identity and womanhood. Based on an autobiographical novel, the film defies easy labelling because sex between a 15-year old girl and a 30-something male in hedonistic 1976 San Francisco did not mean what it means today. Film is about storytelling, and showing does not equal condoning. We know it happens and no amount of legal and moral argument can change that. So only one question matters here: does the film work?This is a beautifully self-narrated story of a butterfly emerging from a lonely, self-loathing teenage- hood. The plot is deceptively simple. Aspiring cartoonist Minnie is 15, thinks she is fat and ugly, lives with a self-obsessed and neglectful mother, and loses her virginity to her mother's boyfriend. The mother finds out (of course) and their worlds do not collapse. Played with wide-eyed innocence and disarming authenticity, British actress Bel Powley empowers the film with humour, pathos, and a degree of unrestrained youthful libido that speaks volumes for Minnie's rite-of- passage story. This is not about titillation and the intent is not salacious. Those offended by nudity can fast-forward, but scenes such as Minnie standing alone and naked watching herself in front of a mirror scream out self-doubt, fear and longing for love as she strides towards womanhood ahead of her years. The voice-over narration is expressive, well-written, funny and offers an intimate view into the very heart and soul of an ordinary teenager dealing with what life throws her way. The cinematography is evocative of the styles, colours and psychedelic attitudes of the 1970s, yet in some ways also shows how little has changed over four decades.Not everyone will agree, but part of the bigger story is about sexual equality. In real life, 15 year olds of all sexuality grapple with similar challenges and the big screen favours some over others. The search for love and identity are two of the constants of life, and this film shows something that most of us have experienced in some way. Unfashionable though it may be to admit it, I found this film quite touching.