Free Showings of EIGHTH GRADE Happening Across the US This Wednesday
Eighth Grade has been doing great with critics and audiences alike. I’ve been seeing praise for the film everywhere I look. The funny thing to me is that eighth graders can’t see the movie because it’s rated R. However, August 8, 2018, things will be slightly different because they believe in this movie. The production company, A24, has decided to have free screenings across the entire United States. There will be at least one free screening in each of the 50 states and these screenings will not be rating enforced which means anyone can go see it. You can find the participating theaters at the Eighth Grade website now.
Here's a breakdown of the story from Joey's review:
The story for the film revolves around eighth-grader Kayla Day who is looking for a connection to the world on her phone and she makes YouTube videos for people like her, who are going through the same growing pain issues that she is.
Kayla is a shy and quiet girl who wants friends and wants to be accepted. In this time, she is having feelings of isolation, anxiety, and feeling invisible. These are things that I think many of us have dealt with during Jr. High and I can see my own daughter going through it as well.
However, Kayla is determined to overcome these issues and manages to harness the power of confidence to try and talk more, be social, and make friends and as she attempts these things, it all comes out in the most charming and awkward ways that are both funny and cringe-worthy because a lot of us know what that's like!
This story all takes place on the last week of school as she is about to leave Jr. High behind her and this is her last ditch effort to exist in this place where she spent the last two years of her life being unseen. At the same time, she is struggling to bridge the gap between how she sees herself and who she believes she should be.
The film was written and directed by Bo Burnham and the main character was played by Elsie Fisher, who gives such a fantastic performance. You can watch the trailer for the film below.