Princess Cyd

I don't review movies much anymore, but there were things about Princess Cyd that I wanted to make note of, in hopes that others who are '... hmm... not sure..'. might give it a chance if they come across it. It's on Netflix and I'm sure available other places too.

I've watched a lot of indie dramas through my life and rarely have I come across one that felt as satisfying as this by the closing credits. Poignant without being saccharine, intelligent without being "clever", slow but well paced. Mostly though, I was impressed at the choices made by the writer/director, and very probably the editor, to avoid dramatic cliches and over-used tropes. There's a sense of quiet subversion at work here, a sense of veering off in a new direction at the moments we've been trained to think 'Ohhh, I know exactly where this is about to go, and ohhh I wish it wasn't.' Pleasantly surprising. I don't want to give much away, let others be equally surprised.

If you like films that make you feel you haven't seen them before, that show restraint and intelligent plotting, well you could do a hell of a lot worse than Princess Cyd. I kinda loved it. 8/10 is high for me.

This is how you do a coming-of-age movie. With poignancy sans too-much-sugar, with a story grounded in how real people behave.

A beautiful gem of a story.

As other reviewers have said, I approached watching this film with low expectations, i.e., as one of Netflix's films that don't necessarily measure up, but boy was I wrong! Princess Cyd is one of the better films I've seen recently. I think what makes it so good is that the potential is there for it to fall into predictable, cliched material, and yet it doesn't. Rather, it is a beautifully acted and written script in which the two main characters enjoy and respect each other. The character of Aunt Miranda is so likable and admirable that she sets the standard for the whole film. We watch as she and her young niece spend time together during a summer, getting to know each other as well as themselves. I loved how not only did Cyd learn from her aunt, but her aunt learned from her, too. The film overall has a peaceful, though not boring, feeling, with many likable characters.

3/14/18. This is a delightful coming-of-age story about 16 year-old Cyd, who spends the summer with her unmarried aunt, Miranda. While their personalities are very different, they are family and they do eventually bond. In the process they learn about each other as they are, and accept each other for their uniqueness. Cyd explores her bisexuality and Miranda, a gifted writer, learns to be more spontaneous in her life. Worth catching because it shows how family ties can really make up for losses that may otherwise destroy one's hope for the future.

I really enjoyed this simple film, it has a lot of heart. both the main character cyd and the aunt were really beautiful characters dealing with life and connection. both those actresses are so charismatic.