[Outfest 2023] EGGHEAD & TWINKIE -- A Charming Gen-Z LGBTQIA+ Road Trip Movie

Review by Sean Boelman

One of the great things about LGBTQIA+ film festivals is the opportunity to discover exciting new voices from underrepresented communities. Egghead & Twinkie is the directorial debut of young filmmaker Sarah Kambe Holland, and while it’s likely to appeal mostly to its core demographic of LGBTQIA+ youth, its undeniably charming nature should win over most viewers.

The movie follows a teenage girl who enlists the help of her best friend to go on a road trip across America to meet her online crush. Based on Holland’s short of the same name, there may not have been a better “glow up” when it comes to cinematic expansions, as this is significantly more charming and satisfying than the short ever was.

Holland’s script definitely leans on some of the common cliches and more formulaic beats of the road trip genre. For example, almost the entirety of the second act is driven by the characters’ car breaking down in a rural community, where they get into comedic hijinks. Still, there’s something admirable about using familiar storytelling techniques to tell an unfamiliar/underrepresented story.

When it comes to the characters, they are written in a way that is somewhat archetypal. Yet, at the same time, there’s something about their dynamic that feels refreshingly honest. It’s great to see a film that features the conflict of a straight character being in love with an LGBTQIA+ character not framed through a heteronormative approach. Chasing Amy this is not.

What most allows Egghead & Twinkie to stand out despite its occasionally standard writing is its wealth of authentic representation. Although there are a lot of movies about LGBTQIA+ youth, few of them are told from a distinctly Gen Z perspective. The filmmakers tout this as the “first feature film funded by TikTok,” and it has a bit of that cringe factor one would expect — but it’s offset by its undeniable charm.

The movie also benefits from two surprisingly strong lead performances. Sabrina Jie-A-Fie does a great job delivering her lines with full sincerity, even if they are a bit on-the-nose. Louis Tomeo is also impressive, giving a nuanced turn in a role that easily could have been turned into the butt of the joke. That being said, it is the two’s chemistry that allows the film to work so well.

Holland’s movie is also full of personality from a technical level. There is certainly a playfulness to the film’s aesthetics — from its colorful costuming to its incorporation of animated accents — and while its ambition is somewhat limited due to its budget, Holland and co. are able to make the most out of what they have.

Egghead & Twinkie is a movie by and for the youth in the LGBTQIA+ community. Although it isn’t without its flaws — no directorial debut is, after all — it’s a charming little comedy that packs enough laughs and heart into its sub-90-minute runtime to work.

Egghead & Twinkie is screening at Outfest, which runs in-person in Los Angeles from July 13-23, and online from July 17-30.

Rating: 4/5