Growing up is fucking hard. We’ve seen movies and read books reminding us of this fact time and time again, but sometimes it doesn’t hurt to be reminded once more. What is acutely obvious during adolescence fades with time, and we occasionally need to be transported back to relive that period and remind ourselves that we made it out alive. Rosemary Myers' GIRL ASLEEP is the portrait of a young woman approaching the divide between childhood and adulthood, with no idea how to bridge that gap (just like the rest of us).
Greta (Bethany Whitmore) just moved to a new town with her family. She is about to turn 15, finds herself in a new school with no friends and little idea how to assimilate. Her mother (Amber McMahon), concerned that Greta is not putting forth enough effort in the socializing department, decides to throw her a fifteenth birthday party and invite the entire school (against the express and loudly voiced wishes of Greta). When the party takes a turn for the horrible, Greta runs to her bedroom, cries herself to sleep, and is transported to a strange world, populated by magical and mysterious creatures, heroes and monsters, and must find her way back home.
Written by Matthew Whittet and adapted from his stage play, GIRL ASLEEP is an examination of Greta’s transition into adulthood. Over the course of the film, we see her confronting both past and future, and using those experiences to help her to come closer to the person she wants to be. Representations of the various paths her life could take confront her as she stumbles through this strange dream world, challenging her to take ownership of herself and to move forward and embrace the next phase of her life.
Like any good allegory, Greta must face the things in her life that she is most afraid of in order to grow and to set her on the path to adulthood. Those things can take frightening forms and come in the most unexpected circumstances. Forest monsters, magical beings and nightmarish wolves are just some of what she encounters on her journey, along with a warrior woman who gives her the strength to defeat them and the confidence to get herself back home.
The film is delightfully charming with its 70s aesthetic and its off-center sense of humor. Just because we’re learning life lessons doesn’t mean we can’t have fun along the way. It retains much of its theatrical roots so there are very little in the way of elaborate effects. The creatures all have fairly simple costume designs, which gives the story a very home-spun feel and character. The aesthetic choices are largely successful but at times, the film perhaps holds on to its roots a bit too tightly. Some moments don’t seamlessly make the jump from stage to screen, and can feel a little awkward when put into practice.
GIRL ASLEEP is a beautiful examination and statement on growing up. Our teenage years are some of our must turbulent. We have no idea what is happening to us or why, and we don’t yet have the skills to be able to step back and understand just where all this mayhem is coming from or how to manage it. Though Greta’s journey, we see a familiar path we have all traveled, and (for the most part) have come out unscathed. We see our own fears, or own challenges, our own pasts. We can only wish for the best for her, but this journey certainly gives us hope that she is a little better equipped to deal with this transition than she was at the beginning. Magical, honest and a touch bizarre, GIRL ASLEEP hits all the right notes to be a heartfelt reflection on growing up and learning to follow your own path.
