How to Build a Girl

Didn't like Booksmart much so I nearly passed on watching this film. It's a good thing I didn't in the end, as How to Build a Girl is way wittier, classier and more imaginative than Feldstein's USA escapades. I was pretty surprised (and impressed) by the range she puts on display here.

Feldstein plays Johanna, a young girl with a knack for writing, growing up in Wolverhampton. Her life changes when she applies for a job as a music reviewer. She's a natural, but it's a tough world out there and as she pushes for success, she has to make some difficult decisions along the way.

Feldstein is a delight, the dialogues are clever, Giedroyc switches between comedy and drama with deceptive ease and the presentation is pleasant. There's really nothing specifically wrong with this film, except that this has been done many times before and How to Build a Girl stick a little too closely to its biopic roots.