Miller’s Girl movie review

MOVIE TITLE: Miller’s Girl

This dramatic film is now playing in theaters.

RATING: R

LENGTH: 1 hour 33 minutes

Movie Review Mom GRADE: B-

IN A NUTSHELL:

As an author of 31 books, I’m always intrigued by movies about writers. I’m fascinated by how they’re portrayed in film, as well as how the characters receive inspiration. By the way, you can find almost all of them on Amazon. (shameless plug)

The story is about a young schoolgirl who becomes entangled in a creative writing assignment with her teacher.

Seth Rogen is one of the producers of this project. Jade Halley Bartlett is both the director and the writer of this dramedy.

THINGS I LIKED:

After the huge success of “Wednesday”, everyone now knows who Jenna Ortega is and the magic she can offer a script. Her character is quirky, smart, and naughty in both projects. She’s fantastic in this, as was expected.
I’ve been a fan of Martin Freeman for decades. His performances never disappoint.
Other cast members who stood out to me were Dagmara Dominczyk, Bashir Salahuddin, and Gideon Adlon.
The color palette of every scene has an “old” hue over it, making it look and feel like all of the classic literature in leatherbound covers belongs perfectly in that setting.
In one scene, we see Martin Freeman’s character reading Stephen King’s book “On Writing”, the bible for all writers. What makes a good writer? That’s one of the big questions the movie asks. Is it experience? The craft of playing with words and ideas? The ability to internalize feelings and share them in a new way that challenges the reader to consider new ideas.
There are two Miller’s in the story: the writing teacher and Henry Miller, the controversial author that Jenna Ortega’s character tries to copy in her own writing.
The movie is extremely dialogue-heavy, so ensure you can hear every delicious word. By the way, you’ll hear the word “vituperation” several times in the movie. It means “bitter and abusive language.” Now, you can feel like a smarty-pants!
I’m always surprised when a male character in a film rejects a woman’s sexual advances since Hollywood seems to love to celebrate infidelity and think it’s so romantic.
Some of the camera shots are really great.
Another question the film raises is that of culpability. Who do YOU think was at fault here?
The film definitely shows how sex pervades society so much that young girls grow up too quickly, thinking they need to look and behave like grown women.

THINGS I DIDN’T LIKE:

The narration seemed way too advanced for the young teen’s years or experience.
Any man who needs validation from a high school girl is a fool and, even worse, not a grown man.
Inappropriate kisses.
I didn’t understand Mrs. Miller’s character at all. Either she was glued to her laptop or falling all over her husband’s friend in a negligee, usually drunk.
Some viewers may not like that there is some ambiguity in the ending.

TIPS FOR PARENTS:

Written and spoken profanity, including F-bombs
Several people smoke, including a teenage girl.
Teens and adults drink alcohol
A man pleasures himself while reading erotic literature. (We see movements and know what’s happening.)
Teenage girls make out

THEMES:

Loneliness
Desire and “inexplorable attraction”
Seduction
Accomplishments
Insecurity
Mediocrity
Courage
Bad influences
Identifying and crossing “the line”
Teacher/student relationship

FUNNY LINES:

“Aren’t you scared in there (pointing to the woods)?” – Jonathan Miller (Cairo Sweet) “I’m the scariest thing in there.” – Cairo Sweet (Jenna Ortega)

INTERESTING LINES:

“Teenage girls are dangerous. They’re full of emotional violence and vituperation.” – Miller (Dagmara Dominczyk)
“Good vocabulary does not make a good writer.” – Miller (Dagmara Dominczyk)
“How does love come?” – Cairo Sweet (Jenna Ortega)
‘”Overreaching without ambition. Do you know what that means? That you weren’t brave enough to be better.’” – Cairo Sweet (Jenna Ortega)
“How disappointing you must be to those who had believed you’d be more.” – Cairo Sweet (Jenna Ortega)
“She made me feel I was worth something.” – Jonathan Miller (Martin Freeman)