It is both a blessing and a curse that there are now tons of stories about young women growing up, as such films have to be sharper and brighter now to stand out from the crowd. It is a greater blessing, still, that female filmmakers are rising up thick and fast and you no longer have to point at one woman as the singular voice for the complex, contradictory beast that is womanhood. Alli Haapasalo clearly knows she’s working within a rich world full of unique personalities and unanswered questions with Girls Girls Girls, a coming-of-ager that takes a slice of life approach, trusting in the charisma of her central trio.
These girls – Mimmi, Rönkkö and Emma – aren’t given the limelight because they’re one (or three) in a million. Rather, the task here is to let their ordinary lives bloom in such a way that other girls, who might not feel spectacular in real life, might finally understand that they are special, too. Leino, in particular, stands out as hardworking figure-skater Emma — battling her stubborn ambition and the expectations of her parents, while exploring her queerness. The young actor’s determination, bouncing off Milonoff’s firecracker turn as her lover, Mimmi, is captivating.
It’s refreshing, too, to address asexuality in a sensitive manner in a genre where sexual awakenings are so often framed as feral, messy interactions and leave little room for the quiet milestones. However, Haapasalo’s modest script isn’t quite sharp enough for it to really sing, instead offering a modest exploration of these characters’ world. Still, it’s perhaps not always necessary to break the mould, and Girls Girls Girls sits comfortably in the coming-of-age canon for those who may one day need it.