'Hollywood Stargirl' Returns to the Big Screen

The film focuses on the title character, as she shares her experiences.

Hollywood Stargirl (2022) is a teen romantic drama film that centers around the title character’s experiences in Los Angeles. This one has many references to the first film in the series. This film serves as the sequel to the 2020 film Stargirl, but unlike the previous film, the events in this movie are shown from the title character’s perspective instead of Leo Borlock’s.

Many characteristics return in this sequel, such as the strumming of the ukulele and Cinnamon, the adorable pet rat. Stargirl’s mother, Ana Caraway, makes her debut appearance on screen as a major character for the film, as she recently got a job working as a costume designer for a feature film. Many students at Mica High School are absent from the sequel, as most of the film takes place in Los Angeles, California.

There is a lot of African American representation in Hollywood Stargirl. For one, Evan (Elijah Richardson), Stargirl’s new friend, is a supporting character of African American descent. Terrell (Tyrel Jackson Williams) is Evan’s brother and is also African American. Both brothers befriend Stargirl as she embarks on the journey of finding herself.

Julia Hart, the female director who wrote the previous film, wrote and directed Hollywood Stargirl, bringing strong representation for women behind the camera. As hinted in the previous film, Stargirl dislikes the idea of her family moving frequently from place to place, as she wants to settle down in one place for a long period of time and develop long-lasting friendships. Ana, realizing the error of moving around so much, sees the mistakes she has made in her life. She decides to stay in Los Angeles to fix her errors.

Overall, Hollywood Stargirl features strong African American representation, as Evan and Terrell are supporting characters to the title character. Of course, women are well represented between Stargirl and her mother. It’s a light and fun movie that’s perfect for a rough day.