This film expresses themes, emotions, and certain problems that girls have faced for generations and continue to deal with in the present day such as repression, loneliness, experiencing one’s sexuality, and more. I truly think every girl can relate to something in this film, which is why it’s beautiful to see this story of a girl going through and overcoming many of these issues. The honest depiction of female sexuality — finally not being portrayed as shameful or something only that exists for the eyes of men — is what I recognize and appreciate most in this film. 

One of the more harsh yet relatable aspects of the film is how feelings of love, deprivation, and the pressure to rush intimate moments in order to seek the physical touch that many young girls crave from other, often older, men are expressed. This trope of a young girl being “deflowered” by an older man continues to be displayed in the media, which is problematic on many levels. 

However, this cliche didn’t seem to me to be the main point. Instead, the story is told from the perspective of a young girl who feels deeply about everything around her. This is just one of her struggles as she grows up. In addition, unlike other films with this trope, such as Lolita, it did not glamorize or overly sexualize these very real problems. Instead, they were depicted realistically and show the cause and effect these issues can have, as well as the decision to finally resolve them.