My Girl Movie Review (1991)
A coming-of-age story about a young girl learning about life and loss, My Girl is a nostalgic film, with a standout performance from Anna Chlumsky and a story that stands the test of time.
I remember watching My Girl in the movie theater when it was first released. I don’t know who I went with, and I didn’t actually remember the story, but I have always remembered the film’s climax. That was it. Everything else faded into the background somehow. I had never really thought about watching it again because of the emotional weight of that “one scene,” but when it showed up on a streaming service, I changed my mind.
My Girl is about Vada Sultenfuss, an 11-year-old girl who lives with her father, Harry, and grandmother, Gramoo, in the funeral home that her father runs. It is the summer of 1972, and Vada and her best friend, Thomas J., spend their time fishing, riding bikes, and climbing trees. Vada’s mother died when she was a baby, and when a new woman, Shelly, applies for a makeup job at the funeral home, Vada isn’t sure how she feels about that.
This is a beautifully constructed film that captures the essence of the early ’70s without any pomp or circumstance. Shelly, who lives in a camper and is a groovy dresser, serves as a counterbalance to Harry and the funeral home, which clearly haven’t changed in decades. But between the music, the freedom of the children on the street, the Hair poster on her wall, and the adult writing class that Vada attends, where the purpose is to express the true you, it feels like a transitional year.
While My Girl stars big names like Dan Aykroyd, Jamie Lee Curtis, Macaulay Culkin, and Griffin Dunne, Anna Chlumsky is the real standout of the movie. She lights up the screen in every scene, and with her big, gorgeous eyes and the charming way that she runs, there is just something about this kid. It’s no wonder she plays the main character in the first major film project that she was cast in (she had a tiny role in Uncle Buck before this, but that seems to be it). She really is incredible.
With Vada living in a funeral home and her mother having died so young, Vada has a lot of confusion about death. Harry has done what he can to protect her, as she isn’t allowed in the embalming area, but she is also a hypochondriac, visiting the doctor multiple times per week because she believes that she might die. Things are often more bittersweet than we might think.
My Girl may be one of those films you are hesitant to revisit based on what you remember, but it is actually a tender film with a lot of emotional depth and an amazing performance by Chlumsky. I cried a few times, and, although I was prepared to leave the movie licking some wounds, the very last line actually gives you a chuckle. It’s the lovely balance of real life.
Runtime: 102 minutes
Motion Picture Rating: PG
Languages Spoken In The Film: English
Should You Watch It? Yes
Did I Cry? Yes, several times
My Rating: 3.75/5 Stars
Available: Free on Netflix, to rent on Prime Video, or may be available for free on other streaming platforms
