This film was a really lovely surprise for me. I was initially super skeeved out by the whole "teenager having a sexual relationship with her mother's boyfriend" thing but watching it play out on screen, I felt that the film was able to tackle a really unhealthy dynamic in an honest way without exploiting Minnie's character. It's also really refreshing to see a filmmaker willing to start a dialogue about the fact that sex isn't always healthy or enjoyable... maybe "refreshing" isn't the right word but it was so interesting to see someone tackle the uncomfortable areas of sexuality in today's environment of sex positivity.
ALSO like, the clothes. The costumes hit that sweet spot of being recognizably authentic to the time period without screaming THIS IS A COSTUME FROM THE 70s!! I've talked about that before and that kind of subtlety always gives an edge to a film. Diary of a Teenage Girl is a really beautiful film - there's a dreamy, film-like aesthetic that complement Minnie's character journal perfectly.
