A young woman, aggravated with being a “freak” like the matriarchy that has come before her, sets out to break free from her circus upbringing, seeking to follow her dreams and find her true calling in life.
One of my favorite film aesthetics is the circus, focusing on the beauty of uniqueness and weirdness through its segregation from the rest of the world. One of my favorite film plotlines is the black sheep trope, about growing up and wishing to find your own way in life. The Bearded Girl combines these two things in a beautiful and moving fashion. It’s poignant and relatable, touching and inviting, so long as you can get past the initial comedic shock of seeing a matriarchy of women donning fully grown beards. It’s framed to be amusingly different, which is definitely for the film’s benefit overall, and it’s certain to draw you in with a cast of unique characters and a storyline that keeps you hooked until the very end.
And none of it would be possible without the fantastic Jody Wilson. Pulling double duty as both director and writer, writing the screenplay from a story by Blake Barrie and Thiago Gadelha, Wilson’s work is fantastically representative of those of us who often feel like outcasts, and it’s hard to ignore the LGBTQ+ themes and emotions here, as well. Instead of being the focus, though, we’re treated to an accessible story through gorgeously shot frames and inspired shots. I found myself truly in awe of the unique visual storytelling on display in The Bearded Girl, and Wilson is absolutely on my “one to watch” list now.
Highlighted with a truly phenomenal performance from both leading ladies, the film has as much depth and believability as the characters have hairs on their faces. Anwen O’Driscoll carries her role of Cleo with finesse and a touching sincerity that pulls you in, and Jessica Paré is a knockout as the counterpoint character, Lady Andre, who is more than just Cleo’s mother; she’s somehow both antagonistic and relatable. The supporting cast is fabulous, too, with special focus on Skylar Radzion as Josephine, Cleo’s sister, who is essentially her polar opposite in many regards and yet still illustrates a loving sisterly bond, despite their differences. Linden Porco is also wonderful, with his character being representative of dwarfism without it being his entire personality, something that stood out to me and felt very important to mention.
While there are a few scenes of poor editing, the color palette and cinematography are absolutely breathtakingly gorgeous. You’re fully transported to this movie’s world without question. That said, the SFX are pretty poorly done, but it’s not CGI heavy, so it doesn’t matter much aside from breaking immersion during an earlier scene. The set design is spectacular and the attention to detail is practically flawless, but makeup effects are a bit iffy. I didn’t believe these women actually had beards, but rather they were stuck on. Though I think that went hand in hand with the more comedic lens through which the film was framed, rather than a lack of dedication to realism.
At its core, even with its “different” lead characters, The Bearded Girl is a story about family, generational bonds, and what it’s like to be the black sheep. And, possibly most importantly, the fact that we’re all just humans underneath our appearances.