Eighth Grade is a modern coming-of-age film that honestly portrays the middle school experience. It follows 13-year-old Kayla, played by Elsie Fisher, as she endures the last week of middle school, which has been a disastrous year thus far.
We sat down with writer and director of the film, Bo Burnham, as well as stars Elsie Fisher and Emily Robinson to discuss this upcoming movie.
Bo, we’ve got to start with you. Why did you want to relive eighth grade?
Bo Burnham: You know, I really… I more wanted to explore what eighth grade was like now more than relive it. I didn’t want to make something nostalgic. I didn’t want it based off my own experience because of my disconnect from Kayla. You know, I was never a thirteen year old girl, but I was never a thirteen year old right now either and I think both of those things lend themselves to a specific experience. I mean, there are similarities to me in there… I didn’t like pool parties, I didn’t have armpit hair so my hands were in my arms [laughs], but also try to think that there’s something happening now that’s new and that kids are going through. It’s new and we tried to approach it like that.
No other generation before now has had to deal with Snapchat and YouTube. You made your career very early on as a YouTube star and this is how you start the film, with a girl YouTube blogging. Tell me about what you hope to convey to parents watching this who don’t understand it because they didn't grow up with it.
Elsie Fisher: I think… I don’t know. I mean, I think that we want to give parents a window into Kayla’s life and see how… I don’t know. Just see how social media can affect her because I think it… it’s good because YouTube gives her an outlet for her feelings, but it’s also like she’s also looking at the other kids at school and being like, ‘I wish that was me.’ But regardless of that, we just want everyone to kind of relate to it.
Bo Burnham: Yeah it’s both things. It’s not scary, it’s not the worst, it’s not, she doesn't throw her phone in the ocean at the end of the movie and then she’s happy…
It’s just that awkwardness, that feeling that like, ‘where do I belong? Do I belong?’ and ‘Look at everybody else, their life looks so great,’ which we as adults do on social media all the time.
Bo Burnham: Yeah, I’ve found the worst people on social media are like thirty year olds. They’re actually the most embarrassing ones.
And you’re twenty-seven, I have to say, making a film about a thirteen year old girl, so you’re not too far away from that time.
Bo Burnham: Yeah. We’re all sort of like, [pointing at Elsie] well you play thirteen, Emily’s twenty, and I’m twenty-seven, so we have a good like... we’re all... we have a good um... I’m just trying to not sound old [laughs]. I felt very very old on this set with thirteen-year-olds. I mean, you very quickly realize that you have no idea what they’re going through and that’s… that was the point. To just let them lead and let them, you know, tell us the truth.
The part that I liked about it was it gets you to that edge of awkwardness. For even the audience, to feel, and then you pull back, you fall in love with Kayla. Not just with you as a person, but your relationship with Emily’s character, Olivia. What I love so much is that I have a child going into eighth grade and you worry about the friends, the influences, but Emily, your character is a senior in high school and she takes Kayla under her wing. Why was that relationship so important to portray?
Emily Robinson: Yeah, no I think… I mean making new friends at school is always a difficult thing. I feel like that’s always very anxiety-inducing and I think what’s really special is that I think that Olivia and Kayla have something in common…
Elsie Fisher: Yeah, like Olivia was probably like Kayla at one point.
Emily Robinson: Yeah, exactly! I think that when you see something like that in someone that’s younger, there is sort of this beautiful idea of female friendship. It’s not any sort of mentorship, but it is this sort of thing like “I’ve been there” and “I understand how difficult that is,” so wanting to help someone a little bit. And also, like thinking that Kayla is super cool and badass and wanting to be around her. Like she’s a really great, cool, funny, dorky, amazing person and like, why wouldn’t Olivia want to be around her?
I read a film review from a grandmother and she said that watching this film helped her to understand that when kids are just looking at their cell phones or a tablet or a device, there is a whole range of emotions that they’re going through. So, now there’s more compassion from the adult generation for young people who are 24 hours connected to their middle school and high school life.
Bo Burnham: Yeah, that’s nice. I hope the movie gives empathy to adults for kids and to kids for adults. I hope kids can go and maybe forgive their parents’ a little bit more. But I also know, adults for me, it’s like everyone wonders why their kids’ heads are in their phone and it’s like, well maybe you made a world for them that you don’t really want to look up at as well.
Wow that’s deep.
Bo Burnham: Yeah, it is. But the experience of being on the internet is deep. The experience of being on your phone is deep. You know, this isn’t just “ugh, I’m so annoyed,” or “oh, I just want to take a picture of myself because I’m selfish and narcissistic.” It’s emotional. It’s a very emotional experience.
Eighth Grade is out nationwide July 20th. To learn more about the film and to watch the trailer, click here.
