disappointment media
  • Home
  • Reviews
  • Interviews
  • The Snake Hole
  • About

SOPHIE JONES -- A Layered and Subtle Coming-of-Age Tale

9/23/2020

0 Comments

 
Review by Sean Boelman
Picture
The coming-of-age tale is a tried-and-true genre, but the reason that filmmakers, especially young ones, keep coming back to it is that everyone experiences what it means to grow up. Jessie Barr’s intensely personal debut Sophie Jones has a few weak moments, but for the most part, it’s a wonderful entry into the genre.

The film tells the story of a teenage girl who experiences a sexual awakening after the death of her mother sends her on a quest to find any sort of connection with another person. Everyone grieves differently, and this shows a very different mourning process from anything that has really been depicted on screen before, but still in a way that is entirely empathetic and humanistic.

What makes this stand out from so many other movies of the genre is its refreshingly down-to-earth approach. The film is never condescending about the decisions she makes, not showing them as mistakes or something that will become a burden to her, but rather things that she had to go through in order to find herself.

That said, the structure shares a lot more in common with a slice-of-life movie than a traditional coming-of-age story, as it is less about forming a conventional arc than depicting the various ups and downs which the protagonist experiences in her life. And while some of the transitions between these vignettes are a bit rough, they work very well for the most part.  

The protagonist is definitely very compelling as a character in a way that will feel relatable to a lot of young people, but the supporting characters consist of a bunch of archetypes. It’s clear that the focus is primarily on the eponymous character’s internal journey, but the external forces that affect her, such as her relationship with her family, could have been more developed.

Jessica Barr (co-writer of the film and cousin of Jessie) gives a very naturalistic performance as the lead. Apart from a couple of scenes in which stilted dialogue causes her delivery to feel a bit wooden, she does a great job of capturing the disconnect that the character has with the world around her, which is ultimately what will allow the movie to connect with its audience. 

And Jessie Barr shows a lot of talent behind the camera, with a very developed visual style even in her feature debut. At times, the film feels like an exercise in poeticism and aesthetic experimentation with shots that are undeniably gorgeous but don’t have a real purpose other than to look pretty, but the loose narrative structure gives the filmmaker plenty of room to play.

Sophie Jones is the type of indie coming-of-age movie that is built to be accepted by audiences with open arms. It’s approachable enough to be enjoyable and personal enough to be memorable, hitting that perfect balance of originality and familiarity.

Sophie Jones debuted at the 2020 Deauville American Film Festival. It is currently seeking distribution.

​Rating: 4.5/5
               
0 Comments



Leave a Reply.

    Archives

    March 2023
    February 2023
    January 2023
    December 2022
    November 2022
    October 2022
    September 2022
    August 2022
    July 2022
    June 2022
    May 2022
    April 2022
    March 2022
    February 2022
    January 2022
    December 2021
    November 2021
    October 2021
    September 2021
    August 2021
    July 2021
    June 2021
    May 2021
    April 2021
    March 2021
    February 2021
    January 2021
    December 2020
    November 2020
    October 2020
    September 2020
    August 2020
    July 2020
    June 2020
    May 2020
    April 2020
    March 2020
    February 2020
    January 2020
    December 2019
    November 2019
    October 2019

    Authors

    All
    Adam Donato
    Alan French
    Camden Ferrell
    Cole Groth
    Dan Skip Allen
    Jonathan Berk
    Joseph Fayed
    Josh Batchelder
    Paris Jade
    Rafael Motamayor
    Sarah Williams
    Sean Boelman
    Tatiana Miranda

disappointment media

Dedicated to unique and diverse perspectives on cinema!
  • Home
  • Reviews
  • Interviews
  • The Snake Hole
  • About