--- title: "Eighth Grade: the reviews" canonical: "https://film.one/film/eighth-grade/reviews" title_page: "https://film.one/film/eighth-grade" critics_score: 81 critics_reviews: 18 licence: "© Fi1m Ltd. Written by AI under a human editor; checked against sources before publication. Quote with attribution and a link to the canonical URL." --- # Eighth Grade (2018): what the critics said Critics' score 81 from 18 reviews: 16 positive, 1 mixed, 1 negative. Most critics warmly recommend Eighth Grade, with praise centred on Elsie Fisher’s believable performance as the socially anxious Kayla. The reviews credit Bo Burnham with listening closely to teenage speech and treating embarrassment, loneliness and online self-presentation with humour and sympathy. Many find the adolescent experience recognisable beyond its social-media setting. Fisher’s natural delivery and the film’s willingness to take small social encounters seriously underpin much of that enthusiasm. The spread is largely positive, but the dissent challenges the authenticity that most critics admire. The New Yorker finds Kayla thinly characterised and the film artificial and sentimental, while still praising Fisher for making her plausible. Collider also admires the lead performance but finds the filmmaking underdeveloped and short on telling detail. Elsewhere, reservations concern familiar coming-of-age conventions and how broadly the subject will appeal, rather than the central performance or Burnham’s sympathy for his characters. ## Evening Standard — Charlotte O'Sullivan Fi1m's normalised score 95/100 (inferred from the text). 26 April 2019. The critic calls the film a masterpiece for its realistic portrayal of social exclusion and refusal to follow typical teen rom-com tropes. It highlights the lead performance and the director's commitment to authenticity over star power. [Read the review](https://www.standard.co.uk/culture/film/eighth-grade-review-a-masterpiece-that-breaks-the-teen-rom-com-rules-a4127041.html) ## Total Film — Jane Crowther Fi1m's normalised score 95/100 (inferred from the text). 26 March 2019. The review describes the film as powerful, emotional, funny, smart and empowering, with universal appeal. It singles out the empathetic, authentic direction and Elsie Fisher's standout performance. [Read the review](https://www.gamesradar.com/eighth-grade-review/) ## Empire — Ella Kemp Fi1m's normalised score 90/100 (inferred from the text). 23 April 2019. The review praises Bo Burnham's debut as an innovative and honest new kind of teen movie that gives voice to those navigating life online. It singles out Elsie Fisher's authentic, raw performance as Kayla for particular praise. [Read the review](https://www.empireonline.com/movies/reviews/eighth-grade-review/) ## Film Comment — Madeline Whittle Fi1m's normalised score 85/100 (inferred from the text). The critic praises Burnham's feature debut for its graceful empathy toward early teenage life in a hyper-connected world, singling out the naturalistic performances and perceptive humor that capture adolescent discomfort. [Read the review](https://www.filmcomment.com/article/review-eighth-grade/) ## Variety — Peter Debruge Rating Critics Pick. 20 January 2018. Festival review. The critic hails it as a remarkable feature debut and spot-on portrait of Millennial angst, praising Burnham’s sociolinguist’s ear for 21st-century girl-speak and Fisher’s natural delivery of the dialogue. The film is noted for its aching honesty about middle-school self-doubt and social media without veering into simplistic territory. [Read the review](https://variety.com/2018/film/reviews/eighth-grade-review-1202670924/) ## Little White Lies — Hannah Strong Rating 4/4/5. 13 July 2018. Festival review. The critic praises Burnham's sensitive, heartfelt debut for its non-judgmental portrait of a teenage girl's anxieties and social-media struggles. They single out Elsie Fisher's believable, endearing performance and the film's intimate, empathetic approach that laughs with rather than at the protagonist. [Read the review](https://lwlies.com/reviews/eighth-grade) ## Radio Times — Stephen Carty Rating 4/5. The critic finds the film more convincing than most teen movies thanks to its youthful cast, keen ear for dialogue, and relatable situations that capture the teenage experience. They single out Elsie Fisher's delightful, naturalistic lead performance as making it particularly endearing. [Read the review](https://www.radiotimes.com/movie-guide/b-wwmh57/eighth-grade/) ## The Telegraph Rating 4/5. 25 April 2019. Elsie Fisher delivers a jaw-droppingly believable performance as the socially anxious Kayla in Bo Burnham’s debut. The film mines exquisite hilarity and empathy from the distortions of adolescent life and social media without comic exaggeration. [Read the review](https://www.telegraph.co.uk/films/0/eighth-grade-review-jaw-droppingly-believable-elsie-fisher-lends/) ## The Times — Tom Shone Rating ★★★★. 27 April 2019. Bo Burnham’s Eighth Grade is so simple and affecting it makes most other movies seem hoarse with exertion. It captures the overlooked period just before high school with pathos, sympathy and humour through a standout performance by Elsie Fisher. [Read the review](https://www.thetimes.com/culture/article/eighth-grade-film-review-bo-burnham-elsie-fisher-jtrt76wfh) ## Time Out — Joshua Rothkopf Rating 4/5. 16 April 2019. The review lauds the film's gentle, naturalistic depiction of adolescent awkwardness and Elsie Fisher's standout, emotionally exposed performance. It notes some familiar tropes but commends Burnham's growing directorial confidence, authentic father-daughter moments, and the wisdom of keeping it real. [Read the review](https://www.timeout.com/movies/eighth-grade) ## Screen Daily Fi1m's normalised score 75/100 (inferred from the text). 20 January 2018. Festival review. The review highlights the film's sharp observation of social media-influenced adolescence through a series of vignettes that form a focused portrait of youthful angst. It commends Elsie Fisher's authentic performance and Burnham's understanding of the teen milieu, though it questions broader audience appeal. [Read the review](https://www.screendaily.com/reviews/eighth-grade-sundance-review/5125753.article) ## The New Yorker — Richard Brody Fi1m's normalised score 30/100 (inferred from the text). 13 July 2018. The critic finds the film overly nice and artificial, assembling Kayla from traits rather than giving her depth, complexity or inner life, while smothering the story in sentiment and stereotypes. Fisher’s performance is praised as the one element that renders the synthetic character plausible. [Read the review](https://www.newyorker.com/culture/the-front-row/bo-burnhams-eighth-grade-reviewed-a-teen-coming-of-age-story-plagued-by-niceness) ## Los Angeles Times — Justin Chang 11 July 2018. The critic calls it a sharp, sensitive and enormously affecting portrait of adolescent girlhood that feels like the work of someone who kept his eyes and ears wide open, with naturalistic teen dialogue and a remarkably empathetic approach. Fisher’s funny, watchful and utterly persuasive performance is singled out as giving precise form to universally recognizable emotions. [Read the review](https://www.latimes.com/entertainment/movies/la-et-mn-eighth-grade-review-20180711-story.html) ## Slant Magazine 12 July 2018. The critic notes the film's eerie, post-human take on teen life and social media, praising the authentic father-daughter relationship and its honest depiction of unconditional parental love amid a cruel digital landscape. [Read the review](https://www.slantmagazine.com/film/eighth-grade/) ## The Guardian 11 July 2018. Bo Burnham’s directorial debut is a wonderfully naturalistic tale of the end of middle school with a standout turn from Elsie Fisher. The film offers an authentic, documentary-like portrayal of teenage social anxiety and the gap between online confidence and real-life awkwardness. [Read the review](https://www.theguardian.com/film/2018/jul/11/eighth-grade-review-bo-burnham-elsie-fisher) ## The Hollywood Reporter — Leslie Felperin 21 January 2018. Festival review. The critic praises the film's gentle, empathetic portrait of a shy teen navigating middle school and social media, highlighting Elsie Fisher's breakout performance as the standout element that makes the coming-of-age story feel authentic and broadly appealing. [Read the review](https://www.hollywoodreporter.com/movies/movie-reviews/eighth-grade-review-1076489/) ## Vulture 10 July 2018. The critic calls the film a haunting, anxiety-filled portrait of adolescence, singling out Elsie Fisher's raw, improvisational performance and the clever use of YouTube videos and buried time capsules as devices that capture modern teen disconnection and self-discovery. [Read the review](https://www.vulture.com/2018/07/bo-burnham-eighth-grade-movie-review.html) ## Consequence Rating A-. 10 July 2018. Festival review. Burnham's directorial debut uses empathy to portray the overwhelming social stakes of eighth grade for its awkward protagonist, highlighting a career-making performance from Elsie Fisher and realistic details of modern adolescence. [Read the review](https://consequence.net/2018/07/film-review-eighth-grade/) ## Deadline — Pete Hammond Fi1m's normalised score 90/100 (inferred from the text). 13 July 2018. Pete Hammond calls it a perceptive and heartwarming coming-of-age story, singling out Elsie Fisher's star-making performance as heartbreakingly good and one of the best of the year. He notes Burnham's impressive debut captures the loneliness and self-doubt of that age perfectly. [Read the review](https://deadline.com/video/eighth-grade-review-elsie-fisher-coming-of-age-bo-burnham/) ## Den of Geek — Delia Harrington Rating 4.5/5. 24 July 2018. The critic calls it a surprisingly poignant look at healing and growing up online, highlighting Elsie Fisher's endearing performance and Burnham's restraint and insight into teenage girls' lives. [Read the review](https://www.denofgeek.com/movies/eighth-grade-review-a-heartfelt-debut/) ## NME — Olly Richards Fi1m's normalised score 90/100 (inferred from the text). 24 April 2019. The critic deems it an obscenely accomplished directing debut that vividly evokes the awkwardness of adolescence, praising the authentic, heartbreaking realism of the teenagers and Elsie Fisher's performance. [Read the review](https://www.nme.com/reviews/eighth-grade-review-bo-burnhams-brilliant-directing-debut-will-take-back-awful-awkwardness-adolescence-2480201) ## The Wrap — Robert Abele Fi1m's normalised score 90/100 (inferred from the text). 12 July 2018. The critic praises Bo Burnham's debut for its sincere and nonjudgmental portrayal of middle school angst in the social media era, highlighting Elsie Fisher's breakout performance as the shy, anxious Kayla. The film is lauded for its authenticity and emotional depth without relying on typical teen movie tropes. [Read the review](https://www.thewrap.com/eighth-grade-film-review-bo-burnham-memorably-illuminates-the-psyche-of-a-fraught-middle-schooler/) ## Collider — Adam Chitwood Rating C+. 13 July 2018. Festival review. The film captures awkward middle-school moments and features a strong lead performance from Elsie Fisher, but it feels like a rough draft that lacks the details and cinematic flair to elevate it beyond a fine slice-of-life drama. [Read the review](https://collider.com/eighth-grade-review-bo-burnham/) ## Eye for Film — Angus Wolfe Murray 18 April 2019. The critic praises the film for telling the truth about teenage life and the struggle to make sense of the senseless. They highlight how it captures the feeling of being unappreciated by the cool crowd and the importance of Kayla blogging her own feelings. [Read the review](https://www.eyeforfilm.co.uk/review/eighth-grade-2018-film-review-by-angus-wolfe-murray) ## HeyUGuys — Luke Channell 4 June 2018. Festival review. The critic calls the film a sheer delight that feels fresh, relevant and self-assured as a modern coming-of-ager. They single out Elsie Fisher's revelatory breakthrough performance as Kayla for particular praise. [Read the review](https://www.heyuguys.com/eighth-grade-review/) ## The Playlist 20 January 2018. Festival review. The critic describes the film as an altogether impressive debut and a millennial 'Welcome to the Dollhouse'. They single out the authentic portrayal of Kayla's self-reflectiveness and Elsie Fisher's pitch-perfect performance. [Read the review](https://theplaylist.net/bo-burnhams-eighth-grade-is-a-millennial-welcome-to-the-dollhouse-sundance-review/) --- © Fi1m Ltd. Written by AI under a human editor; checked against sources before publication. Quote with attribution and a link to the canonical URL. Our review: https://film.one/film/eighth-grade.md