There’s a new Netflix original movie in town and, as expected, I was not disappointed. Tall Girl is about a really tall girl, of course, who feels insecure about her height. Because of which she has always slouched and hunched over for most of her life. The movie stars Ava Michelle as Jodi– both the actress and the character clocking in at 6 feet 1 inches tall. As Ava said in her interview with Teen Vogue, “My generation needs this movie to know that they can love themselves, and that the things people say don’t define them,” Ava says. “We might not like these things [about ourselves], but they are what make us different and special.”
And it’s true, the movie isn’t just for tall girls. One thing I noticed about this movie was that every character (except maybe Jodi’s mom) has insecurities they struggle with. Even the popular gir lis worried her boyfriend will stop loving her. Jodi agonizes over people seeing her as “the tall girl” and tries as much as possible to not stand out by hiding her talents and keeping her circle small.
Despite her best efforts, Jodi finds herself in the middle of not one– but three love triangles. As she tries to navigate it all, we get to see some of the staple awkward interactions required in romantic comedies. However, the movie still feels fresh, the moments not coming by corny or stale. Jodi gets caught up in the battle for the affection of handsome foreign exchange student Stig from Sweden (Luke Eisner).
What Jodi comes to realize is that all along she was never just “the tall girl”. She always had people by her side who saw her as the wonderful woman she is like her best friends Fareeda (Anjelika Washington), Dunkleman (Griffin Gluck), and her sister Harper (Sabrina Carpenter).
Dunkleman is especially a key figure in the growth of Jodi’s confidence. It might be because they have been best friends since their toddling days, but unlike the others who desire to support Jodi, he finds a way to speak to Jodi how she hears. What I mean is, telling someone who is insecure to stop being insecure because they’re beautiful doesn’t really work. We all know that. However, he “paints a picture with his words” which Jodi understands in a different way than Fareeda who is more confrontational with her affirmations of Jodi. Dunkleman’s unrelenting love and commitment to Jodi creates the opportunity for Jodi to finally brave the rough territory of homecoming.
A side note: Dunkleman is actually the cutest character and I knew that from when he brought her a smoothie to class.
So, yes, this movie is about a tall girl learning to love her height. It’s also about true love, being comfortable on the outside of the crowd, and accepting who you are. All of which are experiences that we face in life. Whether you’re tall, short, skinny, thick, smart, dumb, popular or not, this movie is a joy to watch.