entertainment
Girls Like Girls review
Singer Hayley Kiyoko misses the mark in a meandering directorial debut packed with groan-inducing dialogue
TL;DR
- Hayley Kiyoko's directorial debut, "Girls Like Girls," is a film adaptation of her music video and novel.
- The film is criticized for its meandering narrative, groan-inducing dialogue, and heavy-handed stylistic choices.
- Set in 2006 Oregon, the story follows a teenage girl's ambiguous romantic connection with another girl.
- While the film emphasizes representation for the LGBTQ+ community, critics argue it prioritizes depiction over film-making quality.
- Performances by Maya Da Costa and Myra Molloy are noted as exceeding the script's limitations.
- The movie is described as depoliticized, with its focus solely on individual feelings rather than broader societal context.
- The film is considered unsatisfying due to being intensely personal yet emotionally unearned and politically gestural yet vacant.