She's a Fox
2009 · 19m · USA
Directed by Cameron Sawyer
Genres: comedy, coming-of-age, romance
Tones: humorous, tender, whimsical
A semi-autobiographical 1980s-set coming-of-age comedy about a clueless boy doing everything he can to attract the foxy classmate of his dreams — played by a pre-fame Hailee Steinfeld.
Picked by Zoe
The scouts
It's a perfectly fine '80s nostalgia comedy with a game young performance, but there's nothing here that makes you reconsider what a coming-of-age story can do—it's exactly the film you expect it to be, which is precisely why I'm passing.
Sawyer's affection for the period is evident in the production design and tonal restraint, and there's a lineage here to earnest indie coming-of-age that feels honestly situated, though the narrative itself treads familiar ground without formal innovation.
The chemistry between Sawyer's hapless protagonist and Steinfeld's effortless star-power—the way she makes his desperation funny without ever playing the bit herself—is the film's quiet anchor, a performance choice that transforms what could've been a sitcom premise into something genuinely tender.
Reviews
As much a love letter to the eighties as it is a story about budding hormones and young love, Cameron Sawyer's film is a warm, delicious sandwich of nostalgia laden goodness. Rather, it tells an honest story (albeit comedically heightened) about love, loss, and learning to move on.