Girl Asleep

"The world is closing in on Greta Driscoll. On the cusp of turning fifteen she can’t bear to leave her childhood, it contains all the things that give her comfort in this incomprehensible new world. She floats in a bubble of loserdom with her only friend Elliott, until her parents throw her a surprise 15th birthday party and she’s flung into a parallel place; a world that’s weirdly erotic, a little bit violent and thoroughly ludicrous – only there can she find herself."

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A fantastical fairy-tale, girl asleep offers insight into the hyper-realism of growing up in any generation and changing from a child to an adult. The film borrows aspects of a 70's pop aesthetic with absurd over-exaggerated ploys, such as Greta's (Bethany Whitmore) mother (Amber McMahon) on a spin bike in white wedge heels.

It opens by showing the true-to-life story of Greta, which develops into a hyper-reality- her mother no longer simply cold, but a literal ice queen, her father not just embarrassing but a disgusting slimy creature intent on making her laugh. The girls who treat her so poorly become wolves, her sister's boyfriend a terrifying figure of ageing too quickly. Girl Asleep makes an example of these people, blowing up their underlying traits on a massive scale.

Now, I could not get through reviewing this movie without making comments on the costuming. To begin with, the school uniform is nothing short of adorable, adding to the bright pop aesthetic prevalent in some scenes. Her older sister is decked out in head to toe 70's hippy gear as is her dead-beat boyfriend. At the all important 15th birthday party, the outfits take a turn into the spectacular. In the reality sector of her party, Elliott shows up in a powder blue suit which is truly the stuff of nightmares. In this suit, he surprises a beautifully dressed Greta in a pastel pink dress, something out of a sweet, sweet dream. Party-goers twirl into the entryway in bell bottoms and button downs, a picture of the oh-so-popular 70's aesthetic. As her party turns sour, the triplets arrive in what is possibly a costuming highlight- red t-strap heels, turquoise linen skirts and some of the most mismatched shirts the world has seen. The above picture showcases these wondrous outfits, complete with overdone curls, and makeup to match the clothes with blue eyeshadow and red lips. As her world slowly turns into one of dreams, the costuming becomes even more whimsical and weird. The otherworldly creatures that fill the forest beyond her picket fence, including the main player, are adorned with bright colours in paper mâche and piñata style decoration. This film is the pinnacle of clothing inspiration for all lovers of bright plastic hoop earrings and flares.

With stellar performances from all, beautiful videography and a spectacular story-line, Girl Asleep is set to take the world by storm.

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