Portly Adolescence

Rating: B+

The title of Girlhood obviously tries to play it as a response to the critically-acclaimed Richard Linklater film, though its original French title that translates to “Girl Gang” is probably more accurate for this story of a 16-year-old French teenager discovering her identity in this bold, very assured, often mesmerizing third feature film from director Céline Sciamma (the first of her films I’ve seen).

In a film that continually produces extraordinary moment after next—it’s probably better as a collection of moments than for its plot—the beginning really stands out. Girlhood opens with a group of black French girls playing American football to this pumped up, synth pop track. They’re super tough, but we get the sense they’re all having fun and support each other. Then they walk away and start to splinter off—giving us the sense this movie could have been about any of these girls—until we’re left with Marieme (played by newcomer Karidja Touré).

Marieme’s rarely seen mother is always working as a maid, the father is absent, and she’s left taking care of her sisters while trying to avoid her sadistic, overbearing brother (the limited amount of men on screen are reversed from the typical Hollywood gender roles to filling stereotypical roles or acting as eye candy for the most part). She’s told she doesn’t have the smarts for high school and her only real track is to go to a vocational school or settle for a husband and popping out children.

Living in an impoverished Parisian suburb, Girlhood is largely about Marieme’s struggle to find autonomy for herself with little options due to her economic background and patriarchal constraints. A first solution is presented in the form of Lady (Assa Sylla) and her “gang” of girls who wear their hair straight and wear very fashionable clothing. Sporty, shy Marieme is invited to join because they need a new member and not because she seems like a good fit. Marieme brushes them off, but reconsiders when she sees that they’re acquainted with a boy she likes.

Soon she’s straightening her hair, wearing edgier clothes, and going by the name “Vic” (for Victory). The movie flirts with the girl gang genre and takes elements of those old movies like Switchblade Sisters with the girls stealing and getting into fights and Vic seemingly rising in stature, but most of this part of the film is about how they bond.

After stealing dresses they get ready for what looks like to go out, but instead stay in a hotel room and start lip synching to Rihanna in what’s sure to be a long talked about scene. It starts with just Lady then they all start to join in while the frame goes larger and by the end they’re all singing. It sounds kind of stupid, but is actually really touching when you watch. Other scenes of them dancing in a park or just hanging out are all great, and I could have gone for a movie of just these girls getting into trouble and hanging out, or Vic objectifying her boyfriend (there’s this great scene where she comes over and tells him to turn over so she can check out his ass).

The movie does suffer from a bit of third act syndrome as Vic makes a major change again, becoming a drug dealer for the local slum kingpin. She has short hair, wears more masculine clothing, and binds her breasts. I like the idea of using a crime narrative as a way to show how teenagers try to find themselves by changing their look and gender identity is a fluid part of that, but this seemed to be more thrown in here than when Vic changes for the girl gang. Is she changing her look to fit in a masculine-dominated world, or does it have to do with her own identity? Is she in love with Lady? And some more questions.

That’s not really that problematic, though the last part of the film does suffer because it removes the great dynamic of the girl gang, and we don’t get much resolution to that narrative. There are still some great moments between Vic and the prostitute she lives with, and I really loved the final shot. Overall, though, I think the film itself suffers from a similar identity crisis, but maybe that’s the point.

Lastly, it’s got to be pointed out there is likely an issue here with this white director creating a film about the lives of these Black French teenage girls. On the other hand, it does seem like a good to have some representation on the French screens for young Black women rather than none and hopefully seeing Karidja Touré and Assa Sylla doing interviews and in ads will have a positive outcome. But then again, by trying to reduce the men in the film to stereotypes, which I understand the reason for doing so, this white lady makes it seem like Black men in France are all criminals.

Overall, though, I found Girlhood to be a very impressive film trying to challenge women’s roles with solid acting, beautiful cinematography, and a great soundtrack. I’ll definitely be on the lookout for more of Céline Sciamma’s films and hope to see more of these young French actresses.

-James P.