“Edie Arnold is a Loser Review”- A Coming of Age Story for Punk Rock Teenagers but also Everyone Else
I've never had someone lick my face. That's not true. I have. It was in a club in Barcelona but under entirely different circumstances than the ones portrayed in this film. And the reason I didn't make a movie about it is because it's not really a good story. However when Edie Arnold gets licked, it is a good story.
And that's very indicative of this film as a whole. On the surface, this is a classic coming of age story about repressed and sheltered Catholic school girls who want to start a rock band. What do you expect from a film like that? Disapproving nuns, hiding rock and roll from parents, and awkward encounters with boys. This movie has all of that. And that may seem predictable. Just like “college student goes to Barcelona one spring and has a strange encounter in a club.” But unlike that less than interesting tale, this movie finds a way to make everything fresh. For example, I mentioned the broad category of “awkward encounters with boys” that one would expect from coming of age stories with female protagonists. This movie has that. But instead of a scenario you feel like you've seen before, this awkward scenario focuses on an altar boy, played by Lucas Van Orden, who is seen tonguing his greasy slice of pizza in a very unsettling way earlier in the film. He then has the opportunity to kiss Edie Arnold, played by Adi Cabrera, and does so by licking her face in a way which would be disturbing even if it was being done by a Bassett hound. It's gross. But it's an image that sticks with you, makes sense, and drives the plot. That's just a good scene, right there.
I won't review every element that this movie knocks out of the park. Even if that is how movie reviews worked, I wouldn't have the time. But broad strokes are that Adi Cabrera succeeds in her feature debut. We don't know how broad her range is just yet- she may have just been absolutely perfect for this character- but I am eager to find out. She is outshone on screen only by her sidekick McKenna Tuckett who plays her best friend and plays the role of both comic relief and her call to action. Her crude and unapologetic character is perfectly juxtaposed to the traditional setting in which the characters often find themselves.
The stylistic choices of this movie are reminiscent of Scott Pilgrim vs The World utilizing the animation and editing styles seen in both. Certain shots are reminiscent of Jared Keeso's work on Letterkenny or Shoresy and serve the awkward yet stylistically confident comedic tone of this movie. All of these coalesced into a coming of age story about a girl who wants to be a rock drummer. And the impressive part is that, while I'm sure this movie would strike a chord with women who have similar interests who spent periods of their lives in similar situations, this also found a way to speak to me as a man who couldn’t play not one instrument on beat if his life depended on it. And that's what good movies do.
Most of the credit for this is due to the experiences and story-telling acumen of writer Megan Rico. She has said that this story is reflective of many parts of her high school life and her adeptness in getting that down on the page made this a movie worth watching. There were elements of the writing that were rushed and moments that were unearned. Edie’s mother was horrible and shut her down at every turn. She then spends one afternoon with her book club of judgemental moms- women she's known for years, mind you- then immediately begins, not just to listen to her daughter, but to brashly and publicly defend her daughter. She immediately goes so far as to announce to the stuffy nun who has been giving Edie so much grief that she will be withdrawing her daughter from the school that this nun oversees. The complete 180 is a sprint to a gratifying pay-off that blows by natural opportunities for character development. There are several convenient moments like this. From the girls getting away with stealing instruments because of a kindly nun who decides that's totally okay, to one girl who magically learns to play the bass well enough to play rock at a large venue only weeks after picking it up. But none of these shortcomings ruin the vibe and aesthetic of the movie. This is still a fun flick that has something to say and has big applause moments.
This coming of age story has animations flying across the screen (despite it being a live action movie), quick unorthodox cuts and camera angles, and snappy dialogue reminiscent of a crude Gilmore Girls. It's a lot of fun. It's funny, it's heartfelt, and it's worth a watch for teenage girls who feel a little rebellious, but also for everyone else.
Verdict 7.9/10
You should watch