Close Menu
  • Login
  • Support Us
  • Newsletter
  • News
  • Features
  • Interviews
  • Reviews
    • Video Games
      • Previews
      • PC
      • PS5
      • Xbox Series X/S
      • Nintendo Switch
      • Xbox One
      • PS4
      • Tabletop
    • Film
    • TV
    • Anime
    • Comics
      • BOOM! Studios
      • Dark Horse Comics
      • DC Comics
      • IDW Publishing
      • Image Comics
      • Indie Comics
      • Marvel Comics
      • Oni-Lion Forge
      • Valiant Comics
      • Vault Comics
  • Podcast
  • More
    • Event Coverage
    • BWT Recommends
    • RSS Feeds
Facebook X (Twitter) Instagram
Support Us
But Why Tho?
RSS Facebook X (Twitter) YouTube
Trending:
  • Features
    Cosmic Spider-Man card details

    [EXCLUSIVE PREVIEW] The Spider-Man Set Gets A 5-Color Legendary Spider

    09/02/2025
    Lee Corso from College Football GameDay in EA Sports games

    EA Sports Always Understood Lee Corso’s Legacy

    09/01/2025
    Peacemaker Season 2 Episode 2 But Why Tho 10

    Spider-Man Is Coming To Magic And It’s Just Like The Comics

    08/29/2025
    Star Wars Visions Volume 3 Black

    ‘Black’ Sets The Tone For A Bold New Mixtape In ‘Star Wars Visions: Volume 3’

    08/28/2025
    Olivia Colman in The Roses

    ‘The Roses’ Is A Reimagining, Not A Remake, And That’s Why It Works So Well

    08/27/2025
  • Indie Games
  • K-Dramas
  • Netflix
  • Apple TV+
But Why Tho?
Home » Film » SXSW 2021: ‘Inbetween Girl’ Is A Heartfelt Portrait of Adolescence

SXSW 2021: ‘Inbetween Girl’ Is A Heartfelt Portrait of Adolescence

Collier "CJ" JenningsBy Collier "CJ" Jennings03/19/20213 Mins ReadUpdated:08/22/2022
Inbetween Girl
Share
Facebook Twitter Pinterest Reddit WhatsApp Email

Inbetween Girl

Inbetween Girl is a film written and directed by Mei Makino in her big screen debut. The film follows teenager Angie Chen (Emma Galbraith), who attends an Episcopalian school in Galveston and manages to express herself through her drawings. Angie’s life seems to be falling apart: her parents have split up and her father is dating another woman who unknowingly puts pressure on her to be more “perfect.” To further add to Angie’s problems, she enters into a clandestine tryst with her friend/crush Liam (William Magnuson)-despite the fact that Liam has a girlfriend.

Get BWT in your inbox!

Subscribe to our weekly newsletter and get the latest and greated in entertainment coverage.
Click Here

Get BWT in your inbox!

Subscribe to our weekly newsletter and get the latest and greated in entertainment coverage.
Click Here

The coming of age film is one of my all-time favorite genres of film. Adolescence is a messy thing: in addition to dealing with raging hormones and a pointless social hierarchy, teenagers begin to learn that the world will throw you curveballs that you might not be ready for. Makino’s story perfectly captures the ups and downs of teenage life, particularly where Angie’s relationship with her parents and Liam are concerned. She had to deal with her parents’ fighting up until the day they split, and she doesn’t feel connected to her overly busy mother as well as ostracized by her father’s new girlfriend.

Similarly, the complicated relationship between Angie and Liam is an underlying element of the film, given weight by Galbraith and Magnuson’s performances. They perfectly capture all the awkwardness of those teenage years, as well as the awkwardness of sexual encounters with your best friend. Angie and Liam’s first time is far from perfect: he has to get scissors out to open a condom and she feels uncomfortable when they first start. But as it goes on, feelings between the two grow more complicated and soon Angie befriends Liam’s girlfriend Sheryl (Emily Garrett). Garrett has what’s probably the most underrated performance in the film, as Sheryl turns out to be a far cry from the vapid Instagram influencer Angie thought she was. It all leads up to several explosive confrontations toward the film’s ending that will rip the audience’s heart out.

Makino chooses a unique framing device for the film, choosing to have Angie discuss the events of the film with her future self via a series of videotapes. Not only does this continue to be a great way for Galbraith to showcase her talents, it also gives off a raw honesty that lends heart to the film. You can’t lie to yourself, after all (Well you can try, but as Angie learns throughout the film that rarely works.) Also peppering the film is honest, yet razor-sharp dialogue courtesy of Makino’s screenplay. She wrote the film based on her own experiences and even cast Galbraith due to said experiences so that honesty shines through in certain scenes-including a super uncomfortable one where Sheryl’s mother asks Angie what kind of Asian she is. On the lighter side, a scene where Angie wonders what her male classmates would be like in bed is accompanied by the appropriate sketches.

Inbetween Girl portrays adolescence in all its messy glory and serves as a wonderful directorial debut for Mei Makino. As someone who enjoys films like Booksmart and The Perks of Being A Wallflower, it’s a great addition to the “coming of age” genre and I highly recommend giving it a watch.

Inbetween Girl premiered at SXSW 2021 and is available now on VOD.

 

Inbetween Girl
  • 9/10
    Rating - 9/10
9/10

TL;DR

Inbetween Girl portrays adolescence in all its messy glory and serves as a wonderful directorial debut for Mei Makino. As someone who enjoys films like Booksmart and The Perks of Being A Wallflower, it’s a great addition to the “coming of age” genre and I highly recommend giving it a watch.

  • Watch Now with Our Affiliate Link

Share. Facebook Twitter Pinterest LinkedIn WhatsApp Reddit Email
Previous ArticleSXSW 2021: ‘Best Summer Ever’ Is A Diverse, If Predictable Musical
Next Article SXSW 2021: ‘A Conversation with Icons Queen Latifah and LL CooL J’
Collier "CJ" Jennings
  • Website
  • Facebook
  • X (Twitter)

Born and raised in Texas, Collier “CJ” Jennings was introduced to geekdom at an early age by his father, who showed him Ultraman and Star Trek: The Next Generation. On his thirteenth birthday, he received a copy of Giant Size X-Men #1 and dove head first into the realm of pop culture, never looking back. His hobbies include: writing screenplays and essays, watching movies and television, card games/RPG’s, and cooking. He currently resides in Seattle.

Related Posts

Choi Gyu-ri, Shin Eun-Soo in Love Untangled
7.5

REVIEW: ‘Love Untangled’ Is Just Adorable

08/31/2025
Austin Butler in Caught Stealing
8.5

REVIEW: ‘Caught Stealing’ Marks An Exciting Pivot for Darren Aronofsky

08/27/2025
Margaret Qualley stars as Honey O' Donahue in the film Honey Don't
8.5

REVIEW: ‘Honey Don’t!’ Is A Genius Work Of Subversion And Fantasy Fulfillment

08/25/2025
Benedict Cumberbatch in The Roses But Why Tho
5.0

 REVIEW: ‘The Roses’ Lacks A Thorny Edge

08/25/2025
Mert Ramazan Demir in Abandoned Man
6.5

REVIEW: ‘Abandoned Man’ Lacks Depth In Its Take On Betrayal

08/22/2025
Ne Zha 2 promotional still from a24
10.0

REVIEW: ‘Ne Zha 2’ Is One Of The Most Epic Feats Of Animation

08/21/2025

Get BWT in your inbox!

Subscribe to our weekly newsletter and get the latest and greated in entertainment coverage.
Click Here
TRENDING POSTS
Cosmic Spider-Man card details Features

[EXCLUSIVE PREVIEW] The Spider-Man Set Gets A 5-Color Legendary Spider

By Kate Sánchez09/02/2025Updated:09/02/2025

An exclusive look at a new 5-Color Spider entering Magic: The Gathering’s Spider-Man set, and Cosmic Spider-Man is going to be a tough one to take on.

Hololive EN at Radio City Music Hall Events

Hololive EN At Radio City Music Hall Was A Pure Expression Of Fandom

By Adrian Ruiz08/31/2025Updated:09/03/2025

Hololive EN turned Radio City in New York City into the pure expression of fandom: chants, penlights, and community in perfect sync.

Karl Anthony Towns in NBA 2k26 But Why Tho
8.5
PS5

REVIEW: ‘NBA 2K26’ Brings Basketball To Life

By Kyle Foley09/03/2025

NBA 2K26 combines improved visuals with some important tweaks to keep the series feeling fresh in the latest yearly release.

Cronos: The New Dawn Nest
8.0
PC

REVIEW: ‘Cronos: The New Dawn’ Does Post-Apocalyptic Psychological Horror Right

By Mick Abrahamson09/03/2025Updated:09/03/2025

While not particularly sacry, Cronos: The New Dawn is a lot of fun as a survival horror that puts you in the futuristic armor of the Traveler.

But Why Tho?
Facebook X (Twitter) Instagram Pinterest RSS YouTube Twitch
  • CONTACT US
  • ABOUT US
  • PRIVACY POLICY
  • SUBSCRIBE TO OUR NEWSLETTER
  • Review Score Guide
Sometimes we include links to online retail stores. If you click on one and make a purchase we may receive a small contribution.
Written Content is Copyright © 2025 But Why Tho? A Geek Community

Type above and press Enter to search. Press Esc to cancel.

But Why Tho Logo

Support Us!

We're able to keep making content thanks to readers like YOU!
Support independent media today with
Click Here