A One Mann’s Movies review of “Girls Will Be Girls” (2024).
‘Coming of Age’ and ‘sexual awakening’ films have been done many times before. But Shuchi Talati’s new film, set in a mixed boarding school high in the mountains in the northern Indian region of Uttarakhand, just does it to perfection.
Bob the Movie Man Rating:
Plot Summary:
15-year-old Mira (Preeti Panigrahi) is the star pupil at her school and head prefect – the first ever girl to hold that position. Always abiding by the school rules, her life gets complicated when a new and attractive 17-year-old boarding pupil, Sri (Kesav Binoy Kiron), starts to show a romantic interest in Mira.
Certification:
UK: 15; US: NR. (From the BBFC web site: “Strong sex”.)
Talent:
Starring: Preeti Panigrahi, Kesav Binoy Kiron, Kani Kusruti.
Directed by: Shuchi Talati.
Written by: Shuchi Talati.
Twitter Handle: #GirlsWillBeGirls.
Running Time: 1h 58m.
“Girls Will Be Girls” Summary:
Positives:
- Preeti Panigrahi is just pitch perfect as the 15-year-old struggling with her emotions and sexual urges. Kani Kusruti as Mira’s attractive mum Anila is also terrific.
- The setting of the boarding school is spectacular.
- As the viewer, you are left questioning what’s going on with the ongoing relationships: it plays out almost like a thriller.
Negatives:
- The setting is different, but we’ve been here a lot of times before.
Review of “Girls Will Be Girls”:
An astonishingly proficient feature debut
Shuchi Talati’s debut really nails the subject matter beautifully. The basic plot is pretty straightforward: a school-girl is naturally horny; meets attractive and more experienced older boy; discovers her sexuality through him. So far, so “Endless Love”. But the wild-card in the story is Mira’s mum Anila (Kani Kusruti). Anila is living where she is to support Mira’s education and her husband is seldom home. So Anila is also ‘naturally horny’ and you can cut the sexual tension that exists between Anila, Mira and Sri with a knife. Sri swears that he is only flirting with Anila to get on her right side to be able to keep seeing Mira. But is he? Or is something else going on, off-camera, during their shared nights in the family home? I found myself as tense and on-edge watching this as I would during a decent thriller.
Teenage sex handled right
The subject matter could have veered the film into the highly salacious. But in fact the sex scenes are delicately and sensitively done. At one point, Mira masturbates with a soft toy (recalling that poor panda in “Booksmart“!). But it is discreet and not over-sensationalised. When sex first happens it is clumsy, awkward and not particularly fulfilling… just like in real life!
It also lays out the context for the sex as being love the growing love between the pair. Mira, as the goody-two-shoes of the school, is breaking all the rules she chants out, parrot-fashion, at assembly. She would be expelled if they were found out. And yet, they progress their relationship anyway. Director Shuchi Talati at one point spends a whole minute of screen time focused on their two little fingers ever-so slowly relaxing and then intertwining. Perfect.
Perfect performances
Preeti Panigrahi is just perfect as the young Mira. Yes, she’s naive and easily manipulated, but she is also fiercely intelligent and defiant. At 22 years old, she plays the younger girl so convincingly. In this article in an Indian newspaper she confesses that she is about as naive about boys and sex as she is in the film! Panigrahi’s acting pinnacle comes in the finale where she spontaneously sheds tears while giving her mother a head massage. Apparently, this was not in the script and it just happened. Awesome acting.
Kani Kusruti as Anila is the most experienced actor in the ensemble and has the most difficult role, which she executes flawlessly. The little guilty looks she manages to pull off are perfect.
This was also Kesav Binoy Kiron’s debut film performance and he also does very well, although I was slightly less convinced by his performance. But as a very good looking lad, he surely has a future in the movies on the back of this film.
Stunning setting
Hats off to the location scout who found this site. The mountain setting is superb.
Summary Thoughts on “Girls Will Be Girls”
I received this as a screener and it is not released in the UK until September (when this post will publish). But it has already won awards at Sundance (World Cinema Dramatic Competition – Audience Award; Special Jury Award for Acting) and I could really see this one getting an Oscar nomination for Best International Film. And it justly deserves that. It is terrific. Seek it out!
Where to Watch it (Powered by Justwatch)
Trailer for “Girls Will Be Girls”:
The trailer is here: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=cJqnhaBZtfs .
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