Out of all the marginalized groups that exist and need representation today, Netflix asked themselves, “Who needs exposure the most?” Their answer? Tall girls.
Now I’m not saying that this representation shouldn’t exist: every body type should have some sort of love promoted; everyone deserves to see someone who looks like them on screen.
What I am saying here is there are more prying problems, and Netflix digging themselves into a bigger hole of debt for a movie not only unneeded at the moment, but also very poorly done is unfortunate to say the least. The main character claims one of the biggest problems with being tall is not being comfortable on airplanes when travelling, which I find hard to sympathize with when some people aren’t comfortable in their own homes and own countries.
It wouldn’t have hurt if the movie was actually good, or held any merit, but it doesn’t. It just isn’t a good film. Even if it’s geared towards younger kids, the poor writing and problematic, stereotypical pitfalls aren’t justified. It’s 2019, and I feel it’s time for girls to see that self-love can be taught without the help of a man (it can be done, but this plot for love was toxic), and that body positivity needn’t come with the end goal to be to find love.
Rom-coms can be cute, but they’re often cliché and overdone. With a film pertaining to insecurities, it shouldn’t be taught that getting a date to prom can solve them. There is so much more to it than that.
“Tall Girl” lacks the charm and wit that would ever leave a film like this memorable. Again, I know the film is targeting younger audiences, but if it ever wanted to leave a lasting impression that pushes it into cult-classic territory, it would have to be something special. This isn’t. The script is predictable from the start, filling tropes of high school popularity, the suburban family, and beauty standards. You can call exactly who she’ll end up with within the first ten minutes, and the narrative between that and the last ten minutes doesn’t give any excitement that makes the watching worthwhile.
The characters aren’t necessarily anyone to look up to either. Jodi, the main character, manages to only find self-love through the boys she wants to kiss and shuts out any help from anyone else in her life, like her family or her best friends who are willing to help her – people who are in it for the long-haul. Fareeda, Jodi’s best friend, leaves her alone when one of their plans is interrupted, as opposed to talking about it and working through very minor inconveniences that occur out of long-term friendship. Jack, Jodi’s best friend, finds his ‘manliness’ through punching another kid.
“Tall Girl” tries way too hard to be a worthwhile watch. Whether it’s the jargon used (“You’re FLAKING on me?” Yes Fareeda, you’re very cool, but I am in fact standing you up), or the predictability the plot holds, the film stands as a try-hard teen rom-com. If you want something that more accurately reflects how self-love should and could be found, or exposure to other groups that are highly marginalized, I suggest you watch something else.
Rating: 2 Milk Crates out of 10