Sony Pictures
During summer break in 1972, we follow 11-year-old Vada (Anna Chlumsky) and her daily life as the daughter of widowed funeral parlor owner Harry (Dan Aykroyd) in Madison, Pennsylvania.
Due to her upbringing, Vada is a hypochondriac who spends her days obsessing about death and her conviction that she is always about to die, the local doctor’s office indulging her antics and continuously reassuring her she is absolutely fine.
Outside of her neurotic quirks, Vada is your typical kid who spends her preteen days playing with her best friend Thomas J. (Macaulay Culkin), tries to navigate bullies and crushes, and precociously muses about the deeper aspects of the human condition without quite understanding them yet.
When makeup artist Shelly (Jamie Lee Curtis) arrives in town to work at the funeral parlor, it spells a change in Vada’s life, as she suddenly has a female presence around to interact with at home, however, Vada is none too pleased when Shelly and Harry begin dating.
What follows is a nostalgic slice-of-life melodrama with sweet moments of subtle comedy, as well as a tear-jerking crescendo that plucks at the heartstrings without becoming overly theatrical.
As coming-of-age stories go, this is about as classic as they get, the soothing lull of revisiting hazy summer days filled with amusing trivialities until something monumental makes those memories stand out for a whole different set of reasons.
In her screen debut, Chlumsky delivers a charismatic and unusually nuanced performance for such a young performer, ensuring Vada has a compelling character arc that avoids becoming forced, and while Culkin’s part is relatively small, his presence once again showcases his natural talent.
Aykroyd and Curtis both deliver subtle performances with warmth and heart, Aykroyd being a far cry from the often zany performances synonymous with his career, and Curtis similarly plays to her softer sensibilities.
The various supporting players further help cement the sense of nostalgic charm, creating a relatable roster of surrounding characters that all have parts to play in fleshing out the emotional lives of the central players.
Already imagined as a nostalgic slice of small town American life of yesteryear, any outdated elements are approached with an air of satire, meaning the film is still very watchable as a character piece more than three decades on from its original release.
Being from an era where coming-of-stories often included an unapologetic approach to the inevitable traumas associated with life, as well as heart-wrenching plot twists that propelled the character development forward in ways that were both relatable and tender, My Girl is a solid entry into this tradition.
With its competent production, compelling performances and overall sincerity, the film is worth a revisit when you need something warm and sentimental, and the gut punch of the main twist in its finale is still likely to leave the viewer misty-eyed, regardless of whether you are a first time viewer or not.
Extras include commentary, featurettes, and trailer.
Verdict: 7 out of 10.
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