What’s better than spending a night in with your girlfriends? My Girl, starring Anna Chlumsky and Macaulay Culkin, is a favorite of many collegiettes. If you haven’t seen it, watch it on your next girls night!
I have to say right off the bat that I came into this movie with high expectations because I am a huge fan of coming of age stories set in the 1960’s and 1970’s. That being said, I really did enjoy My Girl, which avoided at least a few of the cliché traps that many of these “nostalgia” films fall prey to. The movie is the story of 11-year old Veda, who is growing up in a funeral home with a single father, a secret crush on her English teacher, and a best friend who is allergic to everything. As is usual with these movies, the film takes place over the course of one summer, during which Veda has to learn to cope with her father’s new love life, her first kiss, and other inner struggles.
Although many of the things that happen in this movie are dramatic and important events in a young girl’s life, the tone of the movie remains light, and does not take itself too seriously. I particularly enjoyed Anna Chlumsky’s role as Veda. She pulls off her character’s odd quirkiness and unique sense of humor very well, and it is very interesting to watch Veda’s character develop. As the movie begins, it appears that she will take on the role of the “overalls-wearing tomboy” type so often utilized in similar family movies, but her character definitely goes beyond a stereotype.
Veda’s character and appeal is rooted in the weird dark humor of a girl obsessed with death (she visits the doctor at least once a week complaining of an imaginary ailment), and her universal appeal. Culkin portrays his “glasses-wearing nerd” character as sweet and charming. The movie is charming not only because it is quite funny, but also because it is relatable – to “us girls” at least. Most of us can remember the awkward transition between thinking boys were gross, to waiting for our first kiss; and from being just a kid to slowly becoming a woman.
Although the movie did not win any Oscars, and the basic plot line has been done many times, I think that My Girl is worth a watch or two with some good friends.
For the film connoisseur: This film is best paired with Pop Rocks and Coke, as the balance of artificial sweeteners and tangy fizz brings out the film’s nostalgic and bittersweet notes.