STARGIRL: A Conventional Movie About An Unconventional Girl

Anyone unfamiliar with Jerry Spinelli ‘s award-winning young adult novel Stargirl will probably cringe upon viewing Julia Hart ‘s film adaptation of the same name. The opening act sets the stage for what one can readily interpret as a Manic Pixie Dream Girl scenario. But, as fans of the novel know, that’s not what Stargirl is about.

From a Bestseller to a Bland Movie

Hart’s film opens with teenager Leo Borlock (Graham Verchere) recounting the story of how he and his mother (Darby Stanchfield) moved to Arizona not long after his father passed away. Every day after the funeral, Leo sported his dad’s porcupine tie, until the bullies at his new school desecrated it. But on his ninth birthday, an anonymous gift showed up on his doorstep: a brand new tie. He’s been receiving these birthday ties every year since.

Fast forward a few ties later, and it’s Leo’s 16th birthday. It also happens to be the day he sees Stargirl Caraway (Grace VanderWaal) for the first time. Naturally, the eccentric, ukulele-playing new girl is about to change our insecure protagonist’s life forever.

Stargirl is exactly the type of movie one would expect from Disney+. It’s endearing, wholesome, and utterly forgettable. Perhaps Spinelli ‘s novel hasn’t aged well, or its magic diminished during the transition from page to screen. Maybe this is merely a story that only appeals to pre-teens. Either way, this is a disappointing follow-up for Hart after last year’s Fast Color .

Although the direction and cinematography are solid, the movie feels unambitious and trite. It fails to become anything beyond an average coming-of-age story and does nothing to leave a lasting impression. The screenplay is so insubstantial that the film relies heavily on songs to fill up its runtime. Some songs are even performed in their entirety multiple times.

The film blatantly serves as little more than a showcase for Grace VanderWaal ‘s vocal talent. There’s no denying that the America’s Got Talent winner has a phenomenal voice, but the frequent songs become tedious once it’s evident that they’re just a thinly-veiled disguise for a weak script. VanderWaal steals the spotlight in her acting debut, but the performances all around feel stilted.

Be True To Yourself

Between her vibrant outfits and quirky behavior, Stargirl perpetuates plenty of the Manic Pixie Dream Girl tropes. But this isn’t a love story, it’s ultimately a tale about nonconformity. When we first meet Leo, and he shares his story about being the new kid in school, he declares, “If I wanted to survive, it was better to lay low. I was gonna have to be just like everybody else. No one would see me. No one would hear me. I was gonna disappear.” He’s terrified to be himself, and Stargirl is the antithesis of that. She’s unapologetically herself and doesn’t want to fit in.

Stargirl ‘s message about being true to yourself is its strongest attribute. It’s the reason why the book is still being taught in schools 20 years after its release. While the message is still there, the film doesn’t do enough to breathe new life into the story.

Conclusion: Stargirl

Julia Hart ‘s Stargirl is a decent adaptation of the beloved young adult novel, but it’s incredibly underwhelming. The performances are lackluster, but Grace VanderWaal shines thanks to her impeccable voice. Nonetheless, her strong singing abilities aren’t enough to save such a sparse screenplay. Stargirl brandishes a sincere message about not being afraid to stand out from the crowd, even if the film itself is unsuccessful at standing out amongst the myriad of coming-of-age movies that have done it better.

Did you watch Stargirl? What did you think of it? Share your thoughts in the comments section.

Stargirl is now streaming on Disney+.