🎬 My Girl (1991)



Trailer provided by Sony Picture via YouTube

            

Rating: ★★★★☆ (4/5)

Release Date: November 27, 1991

Genre: Coming-of-Age, Romantic Comedy-Drama

Director: Howard Zieff

Writer: Laurice Elehwany

Production Budget: $17 million

Box Office: $121 million

Studio: Columbia Pictures

Cast:


  • Anna Chlumsky as Vada Sultenfuss
  • Macaulay Culkin as Thomas J. Sennett
  • Dan Aykroyd as Harry Sultenfuss
  • Jamie Lee Curtis as Shelly DeVoto






A Nostalgic Journey Through Childhood and Change



Set in the summer of 1972 in the quaint town of Madison, Pennsylvania, My Girl is a tender, sometimes painful look at growing up. At its core, it’s a story about transition—between childhood and adolescence, between innocence and experience, and between holding on and letting go.


Vada Sultenfuss (Anna Chlumsky) is an 11-year-old girl living in a funeral home with her widowed father, Harry (Dan Aykroyd), a reserved undertaker still emotionally distant since the loss of his wife. Vada is precocious, quirky, and struggling to understand the world around her, especially death, which lingers constantly in her environment. Her obsession with mortality, along with feelings of neglect, anxiety, and curiosity about womanhood, makes her an unusually complex child protagonist.


Her closest confidant is Thomas J. Sennett (Macaulay Culkin), a sweet, shy boy who’s allergic to almost everything and seems to be the only person who truly accepts Vada as she is. Their friendship forms the emotional backbone of the film. Watching them navigate summer adventures—from bike rides and swimming holes to shy attempts at romance—is both heartwarming and heartbreaking, especially as their innocence is slowly peeled away by the harsh realities of life.



Performances That Shine



Anna Chlumsky gives a luminous debut performance as Vada, balancing sass, sensitivity, and vulnerability with startling authenticity. Her portrayal is honest and layered, carrying much of the emotional weight of the story. It’s rare for a young actor to deliver such nuanced work, and Chlumsky’s performance remains one of the strongest child roles of the 90s.


Macaulay Culkin, already a household name thanks to Home Alone, steps into a more delicate role here. His portrayal of Thomas J. is restrained and endearing, giving depth to a character who could have easily been reduced to a cliché. Culkin’s chemistry with Chlumsky feels genuine, making the more tragic elements of the film land with even more emotional impact.


Dan Aykroyd offers a restrained and sympathetic performance as Vada’s father. Known mostly for his comedic roles, Aykroyd brings a quiet sorrow to Harry Sultenfuss, a man paralyzed by grief and emotionally distant from his daughter. Jamie Lee Curtis as Shelly, the warm and open-hearted makeup artist hired to work at the funeral home, brings much-needed levity and eventually becomes a maternal figure in Vada’s life. Her presence is both grounding and liberating for the characters around her.



A Delicate Handling of Heavy Themes



What makes My Girl stand out among other family or coming-of-age films is its courage to tackle difficult subjects like death, grief, puberty, and emotional isolation, all through the eyes of a child. The film doesn’t patronize its young audience nor does it sugarcoat reality—it respects the emotional intelligence of children and the complexity of their experiences.


One of the most memorable and devastating moments in the film (spoiler alert) is the death of Thomas J. It’s a shocking turn that solidifies My Girl’s status as more than just a feel-good kids’ movie. This narrative choice invites viewers into Vada’s pain and confusion in a deeply personal way. Her tearful breakdown at his funeral is among the most heart-wrenching scenes in 90s cinema and remains etched in the memories of those who grew up with this film.



Music, Atmosphere, and Nostalgia



The soundtrack, anchored by The Temptations’ classic song “My Girl,” adds to the film’s bittersweet tone. Other period-appropriate tracks help transport viewers back to the early 70s, evoking a sense of nostalgia that underscores the film’s themes of memory and innocence lost.


Cinematographer Paul Elliott captures the warm, lazy glow of summer, contrasting it beautifully with the cold interiors of the funeral home. The visual dichotomy mirrors Vada’s internal struggle: the outside world brims with life and possibility, while her home is steeped in loss and decay.



Cultural Impact and Legacy



My Girl struck a chord with audiences upon release, earning $121 million globally on a modest $17 million budget. It became an essential coming-of-age touchstone for a generation, helping young viewers process complex emotions through relatable characters and honest storytelling.


The film’s success led to a sequel, My Girl 2 (1994), which continued Vada’s journey into adolescence. While the sequel lacked the emotional punch of the original, it served as a gentle continuation for those invested in Vada’s story.


In recent years, My Girl has retained its relevance, continuing to be discovered by new generations. It’s a rare family film that respects the gravity of childhood emotions and embraces the truth that growing up often means learning to let go.





Final Thoughts



My Girl is not just a movie—it’s an emotional experience. It walks the line between joy and sorrow with grace, offering an honest portrayal of the turbulence of youth. While marketed as a children’s film, its themes are universally resonant, touching on the most human of experiences: love, loss, and the journey toward self-understanding.


Verdict: A poignant, beautifully acted film that doesn’t flinch from life’s more painful truths, My Girl remains a moving tribute to friendship, family, and growing up.


Rating: ★★★★☆ (4/5)