“Tall Girl” is 101 minutes of your life you can never get back

By Erin Wilson

“Tall Girl” follows a high schooler named Jodi, played by Ava Michelle, as she navigates her social life at six feet tall. 

The movie has received criticism online for presenting height as a terrible form of adversity, especially since Jodi lives in a mansion. At the beginning of the film, she says, “You think your life is hard? I’m a high school junior wearing size 13 Nikes.” This has been the brunt of several well-deserved jokes. The movie’s plot is confusing, the script is awkward, and the acting is dry. 

After spending most of the movie crushing on the popular foreign exchange student, Stig, Jodi realizes she likes the guy who has been in front of her the whole time—a tired plotline.

Many of the scenes feel dramatically unrealistic. At one point, Jodi goes on a group date to an escape room. The couples stop working on the puzzle and start making out. Not only was this awkward, but escape rooms are $30 a person, indicating terrible writing.

The dialogue feels forced and the acting is without chemistry. Teen films typically rely on the actors to create relatable characters, but this movie doesn’t accomplish that. Scenes meant to convey humor or romance fall flat, adding the movie to the long list of low-quality teen movies Netflix has produced. 

“Tall Girl” is a confusing mess of poorly executed romantic comedy clichés and cringe-worthy jokes. Its 101-minute runtime would be better suited to a movie that accomplishes something.