The Diary of a Teenage Girl review

‘I had sex today…holy shit,’ 15-year old Minnie (Bel Powley) declares at the beginning of The Diary of a Teenage Girl. Such frankness about sex is nothing new in the coming of age film: think Superbad, Kidulthood, Fish Tank. What makes The Diary of a Teenage Girl different from those, however, is its focus on a female sexuality relatively free from exploitation; rather than being pressured into having sex, Minnie has it because she enjoys it.

Set in San Francisco in 1976, the film shows us Minnie’s life as she grows up in a home with her younger sister, her mother (Kristen Wiig), and her mother’s boyfriend Monroe (Alexander Skarsgard). It is the 35-year old Monroe who Minnie loses her virginity to and who is thus responsible for her rapturous declaration at the film’s beginning.

The relationship between Minnie and Monroe becomes increasingly complicated as the film progresses. And as an outlet for her thoughts and feelings, Minnie draws cartoons, which are amusingly brought to life in a series of animated sequences.

Bel Powley is excellent as the teenage Minnie and manages to convey all the naivety, recklessness, and insecurity of somebody transitioning into adulthood. Strong support is provided by Kristen Wiig who, although playing it relatively seriously, has several funny moments as Minnie’s hippie-ish and frequently drug-addled mother. It is Alexander Skarsgard who is particularly worthy of praise though for the depth and complexity he brings to the character of Monroe; a person who, for all his posturing, is essentially as insecure and immature as Minnie.

Considering Minnie’s and Monroe’s relationship and Minnie’s resultant sexual awakening are the driving forces in the film’s narrative, the inclusion of a subplot involving Minnie’s former stepfather Pascal (Christopher Meloni) seems out of place. Meloni appears, says some lines, disappears, and is barely mentioned again. This is one of the film’s few flaws, however.

There was controversy when the BBFC decided to award the film an 18 certificate, something which absurdly prevents most teenage girls from seeing a film about a teenage girl. The BBFC’s rationale was that the film’s sex scenes and references were too numerous and that a 15 certificate wouldn't be 'defensible.' Considering that many films featuring extreme violence are routinely given 15 certificates, this seems quite ridiculous.

Indeed, if those responsible for assigning a classification had watched the film with a more open mind they might have taken note of its positive message; a message that says you should be happy within your own skin and shouldn’t rely on others to fulfil you. In a world obsessed with image and status, this is something today’s teenagers need to hear.