My Girl
The brief
This coming-of-age dramedy walks a tricky tightrope between morbid childhood curiosity and genuine heart, anchored by Anna Chlumsky's wonderfully neurotic performance as a death-obsessed 11-year-old living above a funeral home. The film captures that specific late-childhood mood where everything feels both silly and earth-shatteringly important, though it occasionally stumbles when reaching for bigger emotional moments. Macaulay Culkin brings his trademark vulnerability to the loyal best friend role, while the adults (Aykroyd, Curtis) provide solid grounding without overshadowing the kids. Perfect for anyone who loved The Sandlot or Now and Then but wants something with more emotional weight and considerably darker humor.
The verdict
If you're drawn to quirky coming-of-age stories that blend dark humor with genuine emotion and don't mind a healthy dose of morbid curiosity, this is a charming hidden gem anchored by Anna Chlumsky's wonderfully neurotic performance. If you prefer your childhood nostalgia movies lighter and more straightforward, the funeral home setting and death-obsessed tone might feel too heavy despite the comedic moments.
Watch with
- 👥 Perfect for nostalgic movie nights with friends
- 👨👩👧👦 Great family viewing for ages 10+
- ⚠️ May be too heavy for very young children
Heads up
- Child death (sudden, emotionally intense) (moderate)
- Funeral home setting with corpses (brief)
- Child dealing with parental loss (moderate)
Credits
- Director
- Howard Zieff
- Cast
- Anna Chlumsky, Macaulay Culkin, Dan Aykroyd, Jamie Lee Curtis, Richard Masur, Griffin Dunne, Ann Nelson
Official synopsis
Vada Sultenfuss is obsessed with death. Her mother is dead, and her father runs a funeral parlor. She is also
