Director: Charlie Vaughn
Running Time: 100 mins
Certificate: NR
Release Date: April 21st 2015 (US)
It’s initially difficult to know what to make of First Period, largely because it takes a while to get used to the fact the two main female characters are actually played by men. It’s certainly not the first time a film has done it, but there’s something about First Period that initially makes it feel particularly incongruous. I’m not sure what it is, but it may be because normally when it’s done, half the joke is the fact it’s a ‘man in a dress’, but that’s not true here, as it’s never even hinted that Cassie (Brandon Alexander III) and Maggie (Dudley Beene) are anything other than American teenage girls.
The film is a loving homage/send-up of 80s teen movies, with Cassie starting a new school and keen to be noticed and popular. However the moment she turns up the bitchy, popular clique are quick to ensure the slightly overweight girl knows she’s at the bottom of the social heap and that her dreams of popularity are laughable. She does however befriend Maggie, who’s about as unpopular as it’s possible to be, but has a good heart despite her occasional plans for murder. [Read more…]