British Musical, God Help the Girl, is Fun, Thought-Provoking

Photo Courtesy / Amplify

I suppose judging a film based on its trailer is just as frowned upon as judging a book by its cover. However, I was too easily persuaded by the trailer for Stuart Murdoch’s British musical drama God Help the Girl.

I thought it would be a simply cute, hipster sort of movie. Though it contained plenty of coordinated dance steps and Peter Pan collars, the film also contained incredibly compelling performances that shed light on deeper themes.

God Help the Girl centers around a recovering anorexic woman named Eve, beautifully acted by Emily Browning, during a single summer as she and her new friends, James, the adorable Olly Alexander, and Cassie, played by Hannah Murray, attempt to start a band. Of course, James loves Eve, but she becomes involved in a utilitarian relationship with Anton, played by Pierre Boulanger, the conceited front man for a local band.

Throughout the film, Anton shows up only to take advantage of Eve for a few hours. Her eagerness to do whatever Anton asks of her illuminates how nonexistent her self-esteem is at this time in her life. On the other hand, James simply plays the role of the

adoring would-be boyfriend, anxiously awaiting his cue to step in when Eve needs a shoulder to cry on. Interspersed with the angst, romance and musical aspirations, Cassie, James and Eve break out into song and dance.

From the summary, one might assume this movie is sickeningly cheesy. Without the sincerity of the actors, this film could all too easily fall into that trap. Nevertheless, the strong performances given by Browning and Alexander carry the movie. Browning must juggle the goofiness of spontaneous song with the gravity of her character’s mental illness.

Even when Eve is simply enjoying herself, Browning makes sure one always feels the underlying tension. One is never quite sure what Eve will do. Particularly, when Cassie, Eve and James take a spur-of- the-moment canoe trip, one wants to freely embrace the sweetness of a holiday with friends. Yet Eve’s impulsive aura leaves one perpetually uncertain, giving each scene an anxiety that draws in the viewer.

Browning conveys the unsettled nature of the unstable Eve through her realistic, genuine acting. Alexander’s acting, too, brings a new dimension to the movie. One scene takes place while Eve is taking a bath. She fills the tub with so much water it spills out under the door. Speaking through the bathroom door, James asks her what is wrong. Their conversation, though simplistic—Eve insists nothing is wrong; James waits outside the door, unconvinced— is portrayed beautifully by the two actors, particularly Alexander. His face shows only earnest concern.

Never overdone, Alexander’s depiction of James captures his niceness without ever coming across as saccharine. Browning and Alexander perfectly balance their characters’ silliness with the anguish of mental instability, making for dramatically charged performances with enough innocuousness to never depress the audience.

This movie is not like anything else one will see this year. It contains lighthearted songs, more hipsters than I have ever seen onscreen at one time and insights into the life of someone struggling with anorexia.

Somehow, director Stuart Murdoch manages to even out all these elements without letting any subject overwhelm another. Impressive performances by Browning and Alexander provide the idea that nothing is ever certain— what will happen next is just as unsure to the audience as it is to the characters.

God Help the Girl does the impossible: it takes a serious subject, throws in some upbeat musical numbers and ends up being a really great movie.