The Diary of a Teenage Girl

R

Released Aug 7, 2015

1 hr. 42 min.

Drama

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List

95%

171 Reviews

Tomatometer

73%

10,000+ Ratings

Audience Score

In 1970s San Francisco, a precocious 15-year-old (Bel Powley) embarks on an enthusiastic sexual odyssey, beginning with her mother's current lover (Alexander Skarsgård).

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Critics Consensus

Boldly unconventional and refreshingly honest, Diary of a Teenage Girl is a frank coming-of-age story that addresses its themes -- and its protagonist -- without judgment.

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christian s

i hope that nobody will ever watch this movie again, i don't know how to put it words how bad this was. the ending was terrible, why did the boyfriend come back? he shouldn't have been shown again. this movie was terrible. i don't think i've ever seen a worse movie that has made me feel more gross.

Rated 0.5 out of 5 stars

02/12/24

Full Review

Audience Member

I really liked this movie 🙏🙏😵‍💫😵‍💫

Rated 5 out of 5 stars

01/07/24

Full Review

Georgan G

The inner life of a teenage girl is as complex as this film. So refreshing to see a real depiction of a female growing into a woman. Love the comic drawings as much now as when they were new.

Rated 5 out of 5 stars

05/14/23

Full Review

Audience Member

This movie claims to be a "coming of age" movie, but it focuses more on showcasing the nudity of the 15 year old character and showing her having sex in multiple scenes, as well as engaging in prostitution. Plus, there were multiple scenes of her using drugs. Cartoons are integrated into the movie in various scenes, likely to make the film more appealing to children. Even if this movie was based on real person, it was completely unnecessary to glorify the sexual encounters of an underage girl in the scenes. Reminder: this movie is viewed for entertainment purposes. Who were they really trying to entertain? They could have made the main character 18 yrs old without changing the movie, but chose instead to make her 15. It doesn't matter that the actress who played the 15 year old was in her early 20s at the time, that was a given. Those responsible for shifting the Overton window the wrong direction for the past 50 years are at it once again in this attempt to normalize inappropriate sexual relationships (read: pedophilia). What is sad is that so many people have overlooked what is really going on here.

Rated 0.5 out of 5 stars

02/13/23

Full Review

dave s

Minnie (Bel Powley), a talented 15-year-old who dreams of being a cartoonist, feels alienated from her dysfunctional family and feels as though she is wallowing in despair and loneliness. She ultimately finds some sense of comfort in the arms of her mother's (Kristen Wiig) boyfriend (Alexander Skarsgaard), leading to a disturbing sexual relationship. Diary of a Teenage Girl is a frank but flawed independent film that features strong performances from the three leads and a story, as uncomfortable as it may be, that succeeds on its many subtle but important emotional twists and turns. However, the inclusion of several animated sequences feels gimmicky and lessens the gritty impact of the film, as does the fact that the whole thing looks as though it was shot with cheesecloth over the lens and lit by candlelight, eliminating what should have been a hard edge to the whole thing. By the time Minnie comes to the realization that you have to love yourself before anyone else can love you, you get the feeling that you've watched a decent movie instead of a great one.

Rated 3 out of 5 stars

03/30/23

Full Review

Audience Member

Excellent film. Bel Powley is just superb in it, as is every one else. The story is well-told, the film is creative, has excellent pacing, and portrays the main character in a very empathetic way. Enjoyed this film greatly.

Rated 4.5 out of 5 stars

02/21/23

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Marielle Heller

Director

Bel Powley

Minnie Goetz

Alexander Skarsgård

Monroe

Kristen Wiig

Charlotte

Christopher Meloni

Pascal

Abby Wait

Gretel

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The Diary of a Teenage Girl: International Trailer 1

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Nell Minow

AWFJ.org

The Diary of a Teenage Girl is a rare frank look at adolescent sexuality from a female perspective. Beautifully acted by all.

Oct 4, 2021

Full Review

Andi Zeisler

Bitch Media

With female sexuality onscreen, especially young women's, we're often presented with a binary: Is it exploitative or empowering? Damaging or liberating? Depressing or joyful? The Diary of a Teenage Girl asks why it can't be all of these things and more.

Feb 3, 2021

Full Review

Anisha Jhaveri

indieWire

Shocking but genuine, poignant and hilarious, Diary of a Teenage Girl could well become one of the more memorable entries in the Sundance Film Festival's U.S. competition.

Rated: A-

Oct 28, 2017

Full Review

Jason Adams

My New Plaid Pants

Bless every independent fiber of it being true to its own vigorous heartbeat.

Jan 10, 2022

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Nikki Baughan

AWFJ.org

Heller's screenplay and direction also keep Minnie firmly at the centre of this narrative, her drawings and doodlings playing a key role in the telling of her story. Bold, brassy and brilliant...

Oct 4, 2021

Full Review

Jennifer Merin

AWFJ.org

Told from a teenage girl's unfiltered point of view, this is not an easy-to-watch movie, but the uncomfortable moments raise important and highly relevant questions.

Oct 4, 2021

Full Review

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Synopsis

In 1970s San Francisco, a precocious 15-year-old (Bel Powley) embarks on an enthusiastic sexual odyssey, beginning with her mother's current lover (Alexander Skarsgård).

Director: Marielle Heller
Executive Producer: Michael Sagol, Amanda Marshall, Jorma Taccone, Amy Nauiokas
Screenwriter: Marielle Heller
Distributor: Sony Pictures Classics
Production Co: Archer Gray
Rating: R (Strong Sexual Content|Dialogue|All Involving Teens|Language|Drinking|Drug Use|Graphic Nudity)
Genre: Drama
Original Language: English
Release Date (Theaters): Aug 7, 2015, Limited
Release Date (Streaming): Aug 10, 2016
Box Office (Gross USA): $1.5M

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