
Stand Up Girl
2017

Representation Score
Good
2020
RDirector
Coky Giedroyc
Runtime
102 minutes
Average Rating
No ratings yetNew Showbiz Analysis
How to Build a Girl is a sophisticated deconstruction of the celebrity industrial complex. It effectively examines how the music industry commodifies youth and strips individuals of their ability to act. The film excels at subverting the cliché of the passive female star by focusing on the protagonist's intellectual reclamation. However, the film's scope is narrow. It lacks significant racial diversity and explicit LGBTQ+ representation, remaining largely centered on the performance of gendered archetypes within a predominantly white, Anglo-centric setting. Ultimately, the film is a powerful anti-capitalist critique. It succeeds in portraying the pursuit of fame as a direct conflict between personal authenticity and oppressive corporate structures.
Category Breakdown
The film focuses on identity construction rather than explicit LGBTQ+ narratives. While it explores non-conformity through the protagonist's persona, it lacks specific LGBTQ+ character arcs or critiques of the assumption that everyone is straight or cisgender.
The story offers a robust critique of patriarchal structures within the music industry. It highlights power imbalances between female artists and male authority figures, portraying the industry as a predatory mechanism.
The cast and setting are predominantly white and Anglo-centric. While the film explores class struggle, it lacks significant racial diversity or characters who reflect more than one aspect of diversity to challenge historical norms.
The narrative provides a deep critique of Western capitalist institutions. It frames the music industry as a corrupting force that prioritizes profit over human authenticity and individual ability to act.
The film touches on the psychological toll of fame and identity fragmentation. However, these elements serve the protagonist's arc rather than providing a dedicated exploration of neurodivergence or physical disability.
Present on Screen
Limited or Absent
Official Synopsis
The journey of Midlands teenager Johanna Morrigan, who reinvents herself as Dolly Wilde: fast-talking, lady sex-adventurer, moves to London, and gets a job as music critic in the hope of saving her poverty stricken family in Wolverhampton. Based on Caitlin Moran's bestselling semi-autobiographical novel.

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