Fitting In is a beautiful, yet traumatic, coming of age tale. It can certainly be triggering to some, especially those who have similar medical issues.
Fitting In is a coming of age story like never before. It is completely unafraid to dive into the seriousness and vulnerability of teenage girlhood, being sure not to avoid real feelings and emotions.
When 16 year old Lindy (Maddie Ziegler) is unexpectedly diagnosed with a reproductive condition, MRKH syndrome, it upends her plans to have sex, her presumptions about womanhood and sexuality, her relationship with her mother, and most importantly, herself.
Ziegler does a phenomenal job in the lead role, perfectly capturing the high highs and the low lows that Lindy is going through. While Fitting In gets fairly graphic at times, it does so in a way that is respectful of those who have had to deal with this reproductive condition, or similar ones.
Viewers who have been down this road already should be warned that some of the conversations and visuals can be extremely triggering. Though this is not the same adolescence that everyone goes through, it still touches on topics of sexuality and gender, which is sure to be relatable to all who watch. It also includes dating woes and questionable teenage decisions. Something else that everyone has gone through in their lives.
Weaving in these other aspects of being a teenager allows Fitting In to not be as isolating as you might think just reading the synopsis. There really is something for everyone in this heartwarming and traumatic journey.
While the majority of the film makes sense and moves along at a successful pace, parts about the ending feel like they come completely out of left field. There is one decision in particular, which goes along with what is pictured above, that doesn’t seem like a decision Lindy would make.
After getting to know her throughout the one hour and forty-five minute long movie, it seems out of place for her. Surely, she could have not been being true to herself, which I suppose is the point it is trying to make, however it just did not sit right with me. That said, her sudden change in attitude is extremely inspiring, and an important one for teenage audiences to witness.
The only other real issue with the movie is that it was hard to see Emily Hampshire as the mother of a sixteen year old. This is not a dig at her acting performance, which is truly remarkable, especially her chemistry with Maddie Ziegler, but rather her appearance. She looks too young to have a daughter that age that it is a bit hard to get past at first.
Fitting In is a beautiful, yet traumatic, coming of age tale. It can certainly be triggering to some, especially those who have struggled with reproduction, but it is a story that is so well told, it is worth the emotional roller coaster.
Rating: 3.5 out of 5
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About Fitting In
A joyful, comedic drama, from writer/director Molly McGlynn, Fitting In is a coming-of-age story that follows 16-year-old Lindy (Maddie Ziegler) who is unexpectedly diagnosed with a reproductive condition, MRKH syndrome. The diagnosis upends her plans to have sex, her presumptions about womanhood and sexuality, her relationship with her mother, and most importantly, herself.
A semi-autobiographical feature written and directed by Molly McGlynn (Mary Goes Round), Fitting In stars Maddie Ziegler, Emily Hampshire, Djouliet Amara, D’Pharaoh Woon-A-Tai, and Ki Griffin.
The feature film is produced by Jennifer Weiss and Liane Cunje, and executive produced by Janelle Monae, Mikael Moore, Molly McGlynn, Brenden Brady, Adrian Love, Laurie May, James Huntsman, and Lisa Gutberlet.
Fitting In is now playing in theaters.
Tessa Smith is a Rotten Tomatoes Tomatometer-approved Film and TV Critic. She is also a Freelance Writer. Tessa has been in the Entertainment writing business for ten years and is a member of several Critics Associations including the Critics Choice Association and the Greater Western New York Film Critics Association.