Jodi (Ava Michelle) is 16 years old and six-foot-one-and-a-half. And that about sums up her identity, as far as most of her peers are concerned. A trailer has dropped for “Tall Girl,” a Netflix coming-of-age pic that sees Jodi coming to terms with being known as the tallest girl at her school, and learning to stand tall and proud.
Asked about “how the weather is up there,” referred to as “Sasquatch,” and teased for wearing sweats, Jodi has a hell of a time at school. Her BFF and sister encourage her to be confident, but it’s difficult to face her fears when other people are constantly tearing her down. Jodi dreams of dating a taller guy, and her wish seems like it might just come true when a towering Swedish foreign exchange student enrolls at her school.
While the trailer hints at a love triangle or two, “Tall Girl” seems to emphasize the importance of self-esteem, and that the most important relationship Jodi will have is with herself. “We’ve all got something about ourselves we wish we could change,” she acknowledges. “The only thing we can control is how we deal with it.”
“Tall Girl” marks Nzingha Stewart’s feature directorial debut. Her many TV credits include “Good Girls,” “Grey’s Anatomy,” “Scandal,” “UnREAL,” and “Pretty Little Liars.”
“Tall Girl” drops on Netflix September 13.
