Two girls, who struggle with their own issues, find one another and, when they become romantically involved, discover themselves.
Beautiful coming-of-age romance with questions attached.
It seems the mid-naughties have become, for today’s generation, the nostalgia the 1980s once were. A time before social media consumed our everyday lives. Presumably, that is why the film is set in 2006. Facebook was still in its infancy, smartphones had not yet redefined human interaction, and relationships were still allowed to develop away from constant notifications, likes, and public validation.
Writer/director Hayley Kiyoko and co-writer Stephanie Scott take full advantage of that setting. The screenplay is thoughtfully constructed, gradually building intimacy rather than rushing towards it. Kiyoko understands the expressive power of close-ups, and editors Christine Armstrong and Sabine Hoffman deserve enormous credit for pacing every emotional beat with patience, creating rhythms that feel natural rather than manufactured.
The result is a wonderful first half. Maya da Costa (Coley) and Myra Molloy (Sonya) are the heart of the film. Their chemistry is undeniable, and Kiyoko wisely allows their relationship to grow organically. She understands that anticipation often carries more emotional weight than immediate gratification, making the audience wait before the girls finally express what they truly feel.
For forty to fifty minutes, Girls Like Girls is an engaging coming-of-age romance about identity, self-discovery, and first love. Then the narrative becomes more complicated. Not because of its themes, but because of its choices. The film beautifully explores how difficult it was and, for many, still is, to come to terms with one’s sexuality. Two young women find themselves through each other, and that emotional journey remains compelling throughout. Yet as Coley’s father, played by Zach Braff, becomes increasingly involved, the story begins losing momentum. His character feels surprisingly underwritten and contributes little dramatically.
More problematic, however, is Sonya’s arc. Gradually, her behaviour becomes increasingly difficult to sympathise with, only for the narrative to steer towards redemption after considerable emotional damage has already been done. Had these dynamics involved a heterosexual relationship, many viewers would likely identify elements of psychological manipulation or emotional abuse. Does the film treat them differently because of the relationship it portrays? That is a question worth asking.
Which leads me to another. After decades of remarkable progress in queer cinema, does Girls Like Girls ultimately take genuine risks, or does it choose the safer route? And finally, one question that extends far beyond this film. Cinema has made tremendous progress regarding representation. Whitewashing and cultural appropriation have rightly become far less common, allowing countless talented performers to flourish.
But have we stagnated somewhere else? If Coley, Sonya, and the surrounding cast did not all resemble fragrance or fashion models (because, yes, they are that beautiful), would the film have attracted the same audience? If they were replaced by what is considered to be widely “unattractive”, would the film have found distribution or, even worse, been made? A sincere question about most of the films you have watched in your lives, and one worth thinking about.
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