I think adolescence is the stage when almost all young people begin to discover and develop the desire to be with a partner; I think it’s the stage when almost all of us fall in love and experience our first love. Very often, that first love is very intense and full of mistakes.
That first love is complicated. As young people, we don’t know how to handle our emotions—neither our own nor those of the person we’re attracted to. As a result, these relationships often don’t end well.
And why do I say this? Because I would classify Girls Like Girls as a passionate, youthful romance filled with mistakes.But that's exactly why it feels authentic and real.
Coley (Maya da Costa) is a young woman who moves in with her dad in a fairly rural part of the United States after her mom’s death. She had had virtually no relationship with her father, as her parents divorced and lost contact afterward. Coley harbors deep resentment toward her dad for being absent from her life.
After moving into her new home, Coley meets new people, including Sonya (Myra Molloy), and the two quickly become friends. That friendship evolves into something much deeper and more complicated between them. Emotions run high whenever the two are together.
Both girls realize almost instantly that they have feelings for each other. I feel like their romance is a bit rushed; it seems to me it could have been handled better, but I suppose that’s part of young love—falling in love at first sight—something that becomes much more complicated as you get older. However, I can understand it—I won’t deny that as a teenager, I fell in love at first sight. Or at least I thought it was love.
Coley and Sonya thus begin a sort of relationship in which one pursues the other; the fear of what people might say and her mother’s possible negative reaction cause Sonya to doubt her feelings for Coley, hurting her in the process.
There’s a moment in Girls Like Girls that makes both girls realize they want to be together and helps them overcome their fears and doubts. This is a film with a linear and somewhat predictable plot, but that doesn’t detract from its merit or entertainment value.
Both Maya da Costa and Myra Molloy deliver fresh performances; their on-screen chemistry is remarkable—I haven’t seen that much chemistry since Breaking Bad. Special mention also goes to Zach Braff, who plays Curtis, Coley’s dad, and who also delivers a standout performance despite his very limited screen time.
Girls Like Girls is a coming-of-age romance between two girls; I don’t think it’s going to reinvent the genre. The film aims to evoke a sense of nostalgia in the viewer with its warm, sepia-toned visuals, as well as settings that transport us back 20 years. As a romance film, it’s lovely, but I think that’s largely due to the performances of its leads, who do a remarkable job.
Translated with DeepL.com Since English isn't my first language.
Rating: 70/100
