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The Love Triangles in 'Tall Girl'

In Tall Girl, Jodi learns to stand tall and find confidence within.

Tall Girl (2019)

4 / 5
INCLUVIE SCORE
3.5 / 5
MOVIE SCORE

In Tall Girl, Jodi learns to stand tall and find confidence within.

Tall Girl is a 2019 film that centers around Jodi (Ava Michelle), a 16-year-old girl who’s 6 feet 1 1/2 inches tall. Since her childhood, she’s been insecure about her height and worries that she won’t be normal like the others at her school since everyone else is of average height. But when a foreign exchange student from Sweden comes to her school, her life is turned upside-down as she is caught in a love triangle.

This film will discuss the concept of love triangles to viewers.

Love Triangle

This image consists of Jodi and a foreign exchange student
Stig and Jodi play a duet

Typically, a love triangle consists of three people: two people of the same gender and one person of the opposite gender. Two people of the same gender compete for winning the affection of the person of the opposite gender. For example, two girls will compete for the attention of one boy in a love triangle.

Tall Girl explores multiple love triangles. Since this film mostly takes place in a high school environment, the movie has many elements centering around high school life. Some of these elements include the protagonist, who is often the odd girl outside of the high school groups, the antagonist, who is the popular girl and high school bully, a foreign exchange student, who becomes popular among the ladies, two other outcast students who are friends with the protagonist, and the girl who plays as the antagonist’s sidekick.

Jodi experiences teen love and kissing for the first time. Since many students make jokes about her tall height, she struggles with self-confidence. She develops feelings for Stig Mohlin, the foreign exchange student, when they sing a duet from the musical Guys and Dolls. In addition, as Tall Girl progresses, Jodi finds herself kissing many guys that she never noticed before. In the escape room scene, Jodi kisses Schnipper, her former tormentor.

Aside from Jodi’s storyline, her friend Jack Dunkleman struggles with having Stig live at his house since his family is Stig’s host family. He also struggles with expressing his feelings towards Jodi, as he wants to earn her respect and trust. During the homecoming dance, Jodi realizes that Dunkleman is the right guy for her, and they kiss.

Jodi’s sister Harper

This image is of Jodi's family
Jodi, her sister Harper, Mom and Dad

Harper (Sabrina Carpenter), Jodi’s older sister, plays a major role in helping Jodi build up confidence. She regularly competes in beauty pageants. Viewers can tell that Harper is a beauty queen by seeing her wearing gowns and tiaras. Since Harper has major experience in beauty pageants, she helps Jodi stand tall.

Harper is the person Jodi often comes to for help, especially when Jodi has to deal with high school crushes, a common element in adolescence. Since she has won multiple beauty pageants, she gives Jodi a makeover. She and Jodi have a good relationship with each other. Jodi keeps her promise of attending Harper’s latest beauty pageant competition, a characteristic that shows viewers how Jodi is able to put her friends and family first.

Conclusion

Overall, Tall Girl has a lot of elements that are similar to other teen comedies, but the film has become successful enough to release a sequel that continues from where viewers left off after the homecoming dance. Viewers can say that Jodi must learn to stand tall to overcome the struggles of adolescence.