This movie has a much different feel than the original Stargirl, and I am still getting over the initial shock here despite enjoying the movie overall and its artful take on an age old theme. Indeed, there is a lot of beauty here - in the SCal scenery, characters, music and story. Stargirl as a character though is a bit on the innocent, wholesome side compared to those around her, and while this is important to the story, it somehow makes how her adventure in LA unfolds a bit improbable to say the least. Is she thinking things through as she makes her way out into her new world or just acting impulsively? As our talented lead, Grace VanderWaal imbues Stargirl with a unique blend of innocence and quirk, but while it is charming, she also projects a naivete that might shock even the original Stargirl. Maybe it doesn't matter and her mom who is wrapped up in her own problems doesn't care. In any case, I doubt most viewers will care either, while others may need to just be reminded that this is a Disney movie after all, and one refreshingly devoted to portraying a more sanitized version of the LA "follow your dream" experience. For the terminally jaded, it should prove a breath of fresh air, and under Julia Harts fine direction, the experience is really not so much "sanitized" as it is "artfully rendered". With lots of well chosen outdoor scenes throughout, this is partly why Hollywood Stargirl is in so many ways a very beautiful and moving film. And there is a lot of other stuff to like too. Various characters (Judd Hirsch, Uma Thurman) who cross Stargirl's path are turned into believers. Meanwhile Stargirl's mom can't balance her own needs with her motherly instincts. Two budding filmmakers also add fun and companionship as they have their own dream to fulfill. And then there is a really nice song writing sequence, followed by the realization you get that this song (Figure it Out) is propelling you deeper into the fantasy by virtue of the fact that it is such a great song. Suddenly, there is a lot more meaning to the film. I also enjoyed Stargirl discussing her past relationship with Leo, while bonding more deeply with her love interest here. It really shows you how Stargirl has matured, and how she now can put more of a historical perspective on her life. Her relationship with Evan is a deeper relationship as it should be, and adroitly handled with genuine emotion and tenderness.
Upon repeated viewing, all the little subplots and how they relate to the movie as a whole have fallen into place for me. The overall style which consists almost of a series of vignettes, typically alternating between muted and more manic ones, is extremely effective. That way we see the whole Stargirl throughout the entire movie, not, as in the original, a happy Stargirl for the first 45 minutes followed by an unhappy or wounded one. But my biggest question throughout gets back to Stargirl's true ambition in life. She didn't journey to LA to make it as I first assumed that she had. Her mom dragged her there. Once there, she is discovered more or less by accident, then only coaxed into performing more. And so her talent is unmistakable, but just as in the original movie, by NOT making it all about herself as someone with a bigger ego might've, she simply makes everyone around her a better person. Its as if her talent is used more to help others pursue their own dreams than it is to advance her own, but all the while not exactly turning down opportunities when they do come her way. This is IMHO the essence of Stargirl: devoted to entertaining while equally devoted to inspiring others to do the same. It worked in both movies but in wonderfully and totally different ways.
