Mixtape: A Coming Of Age Film That Celebrates Self Discovery

Netflix’s Mixtape is a wonderful coming of age movie that celebrates self discovery, friendship, and a little bit of Rock n Roll.

Mixtape is a new film coming to Netflix that truly celebrates finding yourself. In this movie young Beverly goes down a path of self discovery while trying to learn more about her parents who died when she was just two years old. Along the way she also finds new friends and love of old music.

This heartwarming coming of age story tells a lesson learned many times over in a fun and unique way. There are lots of movies about children who lost their parents at a young age that decide to try to find themselves by learning about the past. Mixtape does this through the power of song.

Beverly discovers a mixtape that her mom made but when the cassette breaks, she must go on a journey to find the songs, in the order her mother recorded them, so that she can experience the mixtape the way it was intended to be experienced.

Mixtape might not be perfect, but there is a lot to like about it. At its core it is very much a coming of age story. Gemma Brooke Allen steals every scene she is and helps to carry this entire film. She shines in this role so well that it almost seems as if viewers are watching her actual journey of self discovery. 

Along her path she meets several new friends, including the lonely music shop owner Anti (played by Nick Thune). This is an unlikely pairing but they have some of the best, and funniest, conversations in the movie. Sometimes it does feel a bit bizarre because of the age difference, however once the audience learns more about Anti it becomes less weird and more about him just wanting to help out a kid. He has his own demons but has learned about himself already, and it is time for him to share that knowledge with Beverly.

Besides the lessons of being yourself, no matter what others think of you, there is a lot of grief in this movie too. Not only is young Beverly dealing with the loss of parents she never really got to know, her grandmother who is raising her (played by Julie Bowen) has to mourn the loss of her daughter. The more her granddaughter wants to know about her mother, the more she is forced to remember that loss, and it is difficult.

Related: The Right One Movie Review: A Unique Take On Dealing With Grief

Because of the musical nature of this movie, it should be expected that there is a pretty killer soundtrack. And don’t worry. There is. While this movie is very much for young teens, parents will enjoy it too because of the songs that are featured throughout. It really does feel like a long forgotten mixtape. 

The biggest issue with the movie is the pacing. It just never really seems to find its footing — either going to fast or moving too slowly. It clocks in at just about 90 minutes, which is ideal for a movie of this genre. It didn’t need to be any longer to get its point across. 

Mixtape tries to be something unique and while it does succeed in certain areas, it is unfortunately forgettable. Not a bad movie, but not something that the masses will be praising and talking about. Just a fun way for teens to learn about discovering who they are, and the importance of friends and family. 

Overall Thoughts

Mixtape is a great teen film that expresses the importance of embracing who you really are and being unafraid to search out your truths. It deals with creating lasting friendships, loving your family, and even grief. While it is an entertaining journey to go on with Beverly as she tries to complete this mixtape while learning about her late parents, it is unfortunately forgettable and likely something audiences won’t even remember in a few weeks time. 

However the cast is amazing and does what they can with the movie. Gemma Brooke Allen completely shines in this movie, stealing every single scene. If nothing else, this is going to put her on a lot of people’s radars so they can follow her for what is sure to be a long and successful career. 

A cute and unique coming of age story that is full of charm. It celebrates self-discovery and being yourself, which is unfortunately overdone in films right now, making it forgettable.

About Mixtape

On the eve of Y2k, orphaned, awkward 12-year-old Beverly Moody (Gemma Brooke Allen) discovers a broken mixtape crafted by her teen parents. Raised by her grandmother Gail (Julie Bowen), a former teen mom herself who finds it painful to speak about her late daughter, Beverly sees this mixtape as a chance to finally learn more about her parents.

So she sets out on a journey to find all the songs on the tape. Along the way, she makes friends with her quirky neighbor, Ellen (Audrey Hsieh); intimidatingly tough, Nicky (Olga Petsa); and Anti (Nick Thune), an anti-everything record store owner who’s the key to finding these tracks, and a renewed bond between Gail and Beverly.

Mixtape hits Netflix on December 3rd.