GLASGOW FILM FESTIVAL 2021 - Sweetheart
GFFMarley Morrison’s Sweetheart, which had its world premiere at the Glasgow Film Festival on 3rd March 2021, is a delightful coming-of-age film about young female sexuality and friendship. These types of films are common enough, although most of them tend to avoid the topic of teenage lesbianism. Sweetheart, however, deals with its subject-matter in a very elegant way and works with specialised, slightly sanitised material that may be clichéd to some as it is alluring to others.
The story follows a 17-year-old girl, A.J. (Nell Barlow), who is forced to go on a coastal holiday with her mother Tina (Jo Hartley), younger sister Dayna (Tabitha Byron) and older sister Lucy (Sophia Di Martino) along with her husband (Samuel Anderson). A.J. is an introvert by nature and does not like socialising with people, but she is very enthusiastic about the environment. The trip turns out to be nothing but a nuisance for her until she meets Isla (Ella-Rae Smith) who works as a lifeguard at the nearby pool. The two instantly become friends and it is not long before A.J. starts to develop feelings for her. It is this chance encounter that allows her to explore her own sexuality and adolescence.
One feature of the film, perhaps unusual for a film of this type, is that it concentrates exclusively on relationships between the young people themselves. Although it also sheds light on A.J.’s relationship with her family members, its primary focus is teen angst. The two girls are very different in appearance, and are portrayed as being very different in character yet they grow very close to each other. They are both distinct and true to form throughout, showing young love and the complications that brings. There's no great revelation or drama on the way, but things get a bit more interesting as A.J.’s personal problems start to clash with her friendship with Isla. Of course, the film also highlights the importance of family and helping others in times of need. The central performances add a lot of colour to the film and captivate the viewers. It truly captures the fear and want known to young women exploring their sexuality and things that are, as said by A.J., not quite normal. The dialogue, the cinematography and character dynamics are beautiful.
All in all, Sweetheart is a charming, fresh and exhilarating debut feature from Marley Morrison that is guaranteed to delight audiences. The magic of the movie lies in its capacity to bring back many memories to how it felt like to be the characters’ age. The confusion and the insecurities are portrayed in a very simple way but so true to life. So many movies have been made about adolescence, but this really captures the true essence of discovering the adult world of romance and its complexities.