ergo-58534 Review of The Starling Girl

The Starling Girl (2023)

A Compelling and Compassionate Drama about Faith and Desire

[10/10 · 15 July 2023]

The Starling Girl is a remarkable debut feature from writer-director Laurel Parmet, who explores the complex and nuanced themes of faith, desire, identity and agency in a fundamentalist Christian setting. The film is anchored by a stunning performance from Eliza Scanlen as Jem Starling, a teenager who is torn between her devotion to her family and church and her attraction to her charismatic youth pastor Owen (Lewis Pullman). Parmet avoids easy judgments or stereotypes, and instead portrays the characters and their community with empathy and authenticity. The film also benefits from a rich cinematography by Brian Lannin, who captures the beauty and contrast of the rural Kentucky landscape, and a haunting score by Lord Huron, who create an atmospheric and emotional soundtrack. The Starling Girl is a powerful and provocative film that challenges and engages the viewer, and announces Parmet as a promising new voice in American cinema.