Princess Cyd

Probably my favorite Stephen Cone film, although I like The Wise Kids a lot. I think this one is the lightest/sweetest of the bunch. The aunt/niece dynamic feels so fresh and original, and some of their discussions are so frank and rich. It's just a great character study.

"Princess Cyd" is a wonderful film in many ways. I was surprised because my expectations weren't particularly high. As a result, I'm gonna seek out more of writer/director Stephen Cone's films.

The story begins with Aunt Miranda (Rebecca Spence) attending a lecture about her books, as she'apparently a famous writer. But her dinner afterwards is interrupted by a phone call...her brother-in-law needs a break from his daughter, Cyd (Jessie Pinnick), and asks Miranda to take her in Chicago for a couple weeks. She's happy to and soon Cyd arrives. Cyd seems like a pretty normal teen and it's obvious at first that she thinks Aunt Miranda (who she hardly knows) is a dull lady...just like EVERY adult. But over time they hit it off well and Cyd learns that her aunt is a pretty cool lady...not just because of her books but because she's incredibly chill about Cyd's sexuality. Instead of being scared to discuss sex or Cyd's bisexuality, she's supportive...which is great because soon Cyd meets up with Katie (Malic White) and they fall for each other.

I noticed that the other review referred to this as a Lesbian film. Well, perhaps Katie is gay...but what makes it interesting is that Cyd is clearly bisexual...something you rarely hear about in movies. I talked with the director/writer and it turns out he's openly gay and he did seem to have a very female-positive attitude in this film. His female characters were exceptionally well written and I also appreciated how he avoided a mistake some other filmmakers make. There is a rape (or attempted rape) scene in the film and he chose to show very little and mostly imply the attack....and this is great because sometimes these scenes are just too vivid and disturbing. This could either trigger PTSD responses in some viewers OR possibly excite the prurient interest of some sick viewers...so thanks for NOT going there!

Overall, the story does an amazing amount without a lot of money or scope. Just a lot of real people acting in ways we can believe...and I really, really loved this film.

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.

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.

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.