Tomboy (2011)

Director: Céline Sciamma
Stars: Zoé Héran, Malonn Lévana, Jeanne Disson
Runtime: 82 minutes

Synopsis: A family moves into a new neighborhood, and a 10-year-old named Laure deliberately presents as a boy named Mikhael to the neighborhood children.

Performances: 7/10

Screenplay: 7/10

Editing: 8/10

Cinematography: 7/10

Enjoyment Factor: 7/10

Verdict: It's no secret that I belong in the minority who wasn't crazy about "Portrait of a Lady on Fire". I watched it twice and cannot deny its craftsmanship (craftswomanship), but it just didn't resonate with me on an emotional level. Regardless, I was still eager to check out Céline Sciamma's other work but never felt the rush to do so.

That changed today when I was looking for something not too long to watch. With a runtime of only 82 minutes, I decided to put on "Tomboy", about a young girl who decides to adopt a male identity upon moving to a new neighborhood, which is probably the director's second most known feature.

It's an honest and sincere look at the topic of gender identity from the point of view of a child, handled with care as you'd expect from a filmmaker like Sciamma. Despite having the feeling that it could've generated a greater impact on the audience, it was still effective in what it was attempting to achieve. Zoé Héran in the lead was exceptional, rising above her young costars who, much like the script, did at times wander into cheesy territory. The struggle her character was enduring throughout the film was heartbreaking to witness, leading to a conclusion that, in my opinion, didn't fully do it justice.

"Tomboy" remains nonetheless a film that I very much enjoyed sitting through. It may have suffered a bit from restraining itself from truly diving into the protagonist's crisis, but it still tackled in a mature, responsible, and eye-opening manner. I definitely recommend it, even to those who didn't fall in love with the much more acclaimed "Portrait of a Lady on Fire".

FINAL GRADE: 7/10