"In this year's World Dramatic Competition program, I viewed three films that are irrevocably tied to the cultures they come from. Each examines experiences of girlhood and coming of age against the backdrop of the nations of England, Mexico, and The Philippines. Stylistically, two wholeheartedly commit, for better and worse, while the other neglects to fully lean into its choices."
"Molly Manners' whimsical bildungsroman "Extra Geography," based on the short story by Rose Tremain, follows best friends Minna (Galaxie Clear) and Flic (Marni Duggan) through their days at a British boarding school. Thick as thieves, the girls traipse through the academy as if they own it, all the while embarking on the quest to become "well rounded" and "worldly." Whether excelling in chemistry class or annihilating on the lacrosse field, they do just about everything in sync, including their proposed summer goal: falling in love."
"As the girls endeavor to woo their instructor, the gamification of their own coming of age lends itself to a competitiveness that threatens their once water-tight bond. Manners' often symmetrical framing choices and quirky direction play well to the jest of Minna and Flic, while also reflecting how the girls so often feel like halves of the same whole, making it all the more affecting when fractures between them begin to show."
Three films examine girlhood and coming of age set in England, Mexico, and the Philippines. Molly Manners' Extra Geography follows best friends Minna and Flic at a British boarding school as they pursue becoming "well rounded" and "worldly." The girls devise a randomized scheme to fall in love and end up targeting their Geography teacher, Miss Delavigne. The gamification of their coming of age breeds competitiveness that strains their bond. Manners uses symmetrical framing and quirky direction to mirror how the girls feel like halves of a whole, intensifying the impact when fractures appear.
Read at Roger Ebert
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