The Starling Girl

R

Released May 12, 2023

1 hr. 56 min.

Drama

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List

92%

88 Reviews

Tomatometer

97%

500+ Ratings

Audience Score

Seventeen-year-old Jem Starling struggles to define her place within her fundamentalist Christian community in rural Kentucky. Even her greatest joy of dancing with the church group is tempered by worry that her actions are sinful and she is caught between a burgeoning awareness of her own sexuality and her religious devotion. With the return of Owen, an enigmatic youth pastor, Jem soon finds herself attracted to his worldliness and charm. Slowly, he draws her into a dangerous relationship that could upend their entire community.

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Critics Consensus

Sensitively and intelligently crafted by writer-director Laurel Parmet, The Starling Girl is a well-told coming-of-age story centering around a young woman's struggles with her spiritual faith.

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Chris

It's an interesting teen drama that is well made. Tackles issues with relationships, religion, and parenthood with a fresh perspective. Love that it sort of pokes holes in each issue and leaves it up to you to draw conclusions.

Rated 4 out of 5 stars

06/14/23

Full Review

Gregory

The Starling Girl was a poignant come-of-age story that was at times, sweet and tender, but also hard-driven and suspenseful. Compellingly directed by Laurel Parmet, (The Edge of Seventeen) The Starling Girl at its core, is a story of innocence lost. The Starlings are a very devout Christian family with a disconnected mother and a reformed but weak alcoholic father trying to raise two young daughters in a deeply Christian environment in rural Kentucky. The oldest daughter Jem, masterfully played by Eliza Scanlen, is seventeen and is tortured by her attraction to Owen an older and adult married man. She struggles to contain her feelings and sexual urges, but ultimately fails to control her temptations and falls emotionally and sexually for Owen. I won't go beyond that plot line but I will say that it is Eliza that drives the movie toward its fitting climax with her masterful performance of teen angst and desire vs inherent goodness and godliness. Watching her performance, you can see and feel her torment and conflict as she fails to control her sexual impulses against a rearing of very strict and devoted Christian values. This compelling movie is well-written and competently acted, but it's the amazing performance of Eliza Scanlen that stands out as does the touching and nuanced direction of Laurel Parmet. A tale of innocence lost masterfully told and highly recommended.

Rated 4 out of 5 stars

05/29/23

Full Review

Carlos E. Diaz

Fantastic movie well put together

Rated 5 out of 5 stars

05/29/23

Full Review

Ghederick Eshmont

Eliza Scanlen roars in a slightly bloated Southern Gothic family tale.

Rated 4 out of 5 stars

05/27/23

Full Review

Roy J

Kept my attention throughout

Rated 4 out of 5 stars

05/25/23

Full Review

Stephen T

incredibly cast, believable, well-told real life story

Rated 5 out of 5 stars

05/20/23

Full Review

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Laurel Parmet

Director

Eliza Scanlen

Jem Starling

Lewis Pullman

Owen Taylor

Jimmi Simpson

Paul Starling

Wrenn Schmidt

Heidi Starling

Claire Elizabeth Green

Rebecca Starling

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Jenny Nulf

Austin Chronicle

The Starling Girl’s thoughtfulness and lingering optimism toward a story that is predictably sorrowful is a necessary balance.

Rated: 3.5/5

Nov 17, 2023

Full Review

Monica Castillo

RogerEbert.com

“The Starling Girl” lives and breathes through Scanlen’s stellar performance.

Rated: 3.5/4

May 24, 2023

Full Review

Glenn Kenny

Boston Globe

Laurel Parmet makes a striking, assured feature directorial debut with “The Starling Girl,” which serves double duty in solidifying Eliza Scanlen’s already pretty solid reputation as a young actor worth watching.

Rated: 3/4

May 19, 2023

Full Review

Kristian M. Lin

Fort Worth Weekly

Laurel Parmet’s low-budget drama features yet another terrific performance from Eliza Scanlen...

Mar 18, 2024

Full Review

James Croot

Stuff.co.nz

Parmet’s conceit is naturally a little disturbing and no doubt considered controversial by some, but she juggles it well, never becoming too prurient or sensationalist, but also not condoning...

Rated: 4/5

Mar 1, 2024

Full Review

Nuha Hassan

Flip Screen

The Starling Girl is a coming-of-age movie that doesn’t explore the teenager’s journey of adolescence; instead, it is a disturbing portrait of women who have internalised misogyny and the many ways in which women are conditioned to behave a certain way.

Rated: 5/5

Sep 8, 2023

Full Review

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Synopsis

Seventeen-year-old Jem Starling struggles to define her place within her fundamentalist Christian community in rural Kentucky. Even her greatest joy of dancing with the church group is tempered by worry that her actions are sinful and she is caught between a burgeoning awareness of her own sexuality and her religious devotion. With the return of Owen, an enigmatic youth pastor, Jem soon finds herself attracted to his worldliness and charm. Slowly, he draws her into a dangerous relationship that could upend their entire community.

Director: Laurel Parmet
Executive Producer: Jessamine Burgum, Will Greenfield, Douglas Choi, Martina Bassenger, David Hinojosa, Bill Reedy, Emily Reedy, Chris Stolte, Heidi Stolte
Screenwriter: Laurel Parmet
Distributor: Bleecker Street
Production Co: 2AM, Sons of Rigor Films, Pinky Promise
Rating: R
Genre: Drama
Original Language: English
Release Date (Theaters): May 12, 2023, Limited
Release Date (Streaming): Jul 11, 2023
Box Office (Gross USA): $158.3K

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