User reviews

Despite being a guy, I find this movie to be a very accurate depiction of an 11-year old girl and the way she would deal with everything surrounding her. Granted, Vada is played by a girl who's 11 anyway, but remember, her dialogue was written by an adult. And speaking of kids, they do a great job! Everyone in this movie is very natural in their performance. I guess you could say there's not really a story per say, it's more of a character study than that. And it doesn't take too long for the characters to receive more development. It's just a good drama all around.

1972. Vada Sultenfuss (played by Anna Chlumsky) is an intelligent, bubbly, hypochondriacal 11-year old girl. Her father, Harry (Dan Aykroyd), is a mortician and a widower. Her best friend is Thomas J Sennett (Macaulay Culkin). Then her father hires a new receptionist, Shelly (Jamie Lee Curtis) and life will never be the same again.

Wonderful movie, and so much better than I expected. From the title and synopsis I thought it was going to be some sort of romantic drama made for teens/pre-teens. However, it is much much more than that. A great examination of love and loss, life, death and renewal and growing up. Very emotional, especially in the final few scenes.

Anna Chlumsky is great as Vada. Most child characters end up being irritating, as they tend to be written for children and acted in bratty fashion. Vada's character is wonderful and Anna Chlumsky, in her second movie and first major role, gives a superb performance. Sadly, unlike her co-star Macaulay Culkin, her career never really took off after this and it took until the series Veep in 2012 before she got the sort of role she deserved.

On that note, Macaulay Culkin's role is more subdued, has less screen time and less dialogue-intense than Chlumsky's. He does a solid job though.

Dan Aykroyd and Jamie Lee Curtis put in good performances too.

It's 1972 in small town Madison, Penn. Tomboy Vada Sultenfuss (Anna Chlumsky) has Thomas J (Macaulay Culkin) as her best friend. She lives with her father (Dan Aykroyd) and grandmother in their funeral parlor home. One day, Shelly DeVoto (Jamie Lee Curtis) answers an ad to do makeup for the funeral home.

Anna Chlumsky and Macaulay Culkin couldn't be any more cuter. Anna gets to have some great funny one liners. It is possibly one of the best sweetest coming-of-age story. The romance between Dan Aykroyd and Jamie Lee Curtis is also lovely. I love the bumper car scene. There is probably way too many spoilers. I guess people were afraid to be shocked. The movie handles the death with class. Don't be scared off even for the kids. It's a great movie.

'My Girl' is a rare treat in that it is a moving family drama that never descends into being overly-sentimental or cloying in the messages it's trying to deliver. It is a very bittersweet look at the joys and tears a girl faces when she stands on the cusp between childhood and adolescence.

Set over the summer of 1972, the film centres on Vada Sultenfuss, a motherless eleven-year-old tom-boy who has enough problems coping with impending adulthood on top of having to contend with her oblivious mortician father Harry and her senile grandmother Gramoo. And if things were not bad enough, Harry hires an assistant in the form of the funky Shelly leaving Vada feeling her place in her father's life is threatens by this new woman. Thankfully she is not alone as seeing her through her troubles is her loyal best friend Thomas J.

While Dan Anckroyd and Jamie Lee Curtis, as Harry and Shelley respectively, were great in their roles as two adults who both care for Vada and who have a growing attraction to each other, it was the child actors who stole the show. Anna Chlumsky, in this her film debut, delivered a first class performance as Vada, depicting the all the little nuances of the character from the confusion a tom-boy feels as she tentatively embraces her girly side in deference to her first crush to the desolation of bereavement to the loneliness she feels due to her father's thoughtless neglect. She was excellent in showing Vada's childish innocence and rare maturity that comes when a child has dealt with the harsh side to life.

Macaulay Culkin was another surprise as he portrayed the guileless Thomas J. It was a pleasant change to see him in a role other than the obnoxious kid he usually depicted in previous films such as 'Home Alone' and 'Uncle Buck', and he rose to the occasion with flare, perfectly displaying the bumbling but sensitive and caring nature of his character. His performance here proves that, had he chosen to, he could have been one of the rare few who succeed in the seamless transition from being a child actor to a teen/young adult actor.

'My Girl' is so involving for a wide age group because it not only conjures up nostalgic memories of summers gone by in adults who occasionally long for the carefree bliss of childhood but it engages younger viewers into considering the lessons of loyalty, love, loss and growing up. It definitely strikes a cord in those who are eleven years old themselves (I was eleven when I first saw this film and felt as if I could identify with Vada on many things). Most girls of eleven will probably empathise with Vada's views that nothing happens to boys! Highly recommended.

I just finally watched My Girl last night, never saw it before, never really had the opportunity too, but my friend mentioned it while we were renting over at Hollywood Video and she said it was a really cute movie that could bring a few tears to my eyes, I wasn't in the mood for sad, but I have heard quite a bit about this film. I have to say that despite the fact that I wasn't blown away by the movie, it was a nice and honest film that you don't see in today's films, not to many are genuine like this.

Vada is a little girl who basically surrounded by death in some aspects, her mother passed away and her father works in a funeral home. When a make up artist, Shelly, comes to work for her dad, Harry, Vada is a little threatened that her dad might be taken away from her. But she has another love, an English teacher who's class she starts taking just to impress him, but another little boy, Tommy, has a little crush on Vada, but as soon as she realizes what she has lost, maybe she should take a closer look at things.

My Girl is a sweet and charming film that could make anyone feel very good and just makes you want to hug someone afterwards, as cheesy as it may sound. Even though I didn't cry, it does have some sad little moments, Macaulay shined in this movie, you could just tell this kid was star bound, wish someone would give him a break, because he is slowly climbing to top again. But he and Jamie were the stars of the film and really made it worth a watch.

6/10

This is a kid's film. Or, if you are over eighteen and not not too critical about a realistic approach to tot acting, and want an easy-to-watch family tearjerker with some major stars going through their paces with professional expertise, this is your ticket to what Hollywood wants us to experience as a "Heartwarming Experience."

Having recently also watched "Ali Azoua--Price Of The City," "I'm Not Scared," and "Children of Heaven," I'm made acutely aware of the studio-taught limitations of Tinseltown tots, particular Culkin, who doesn't have much to do but react cutely and alter the direction of the plot; young Chlumsky has been trained perfectly and doesn't miss a beat, but the spontaneous reality of kids you find in Stand By Me, say, or Ali Zouoa, has been traded off for predictability. Jamie Lee Curtis has a warmth that enlivens much of the film, and strikes a notable balance that made most of the film work for me. It's a kid's film, and on that basis, it succeeds very well.

"My Girl" is one of those small treasures that, on outward appearance, seems like something it is not. Any general synopsis of the film would lead most people (including myself) to excuse the film as a dine-a-dozen coming-of-age drama with first kisses, raging hormones, and middle school bullies.

The truth is, "My Girl" has all of those elements (except for the latter; the film takes place during summertime). It isn't the most original story, and it doesn't try to be a masterpiece. Its goal is to entertain the younger viewer and to remind the older viewer of the nostalgic days of innocence and the heartbreaking first encounters with the loss of it.

Summer, 1972. Vada Sultenfuss (Anna Chlumsky) is a plucky 11-year-old who spends her summer days with her best pal, Thomas J. (Macaulay Culkin, who is far better here than anything else he's ever done). She dotes on her father, Harry (Dan Aykroid), who works as an in-house mortician. Subsequently, the Sultenfuss house (a grand old Victorian, naturally) is filled with the stench of death, made only worse by Vada's grandmother (Ann Nelson) whose only way of communicating is through her sporadic breaks into popular songs from the 1940s. It's only natural that Vada is also a hypochondriac who often believes she is dying.

This is, of course, the summer that Vada grows up. Signs of change first begin when a new woman shows up. Her name is Shelly De Voto (Jamie Lee Curtis), and she works as a makeup artist for the dead bodies. At first she is discouraged by the fact that her clientele are deceased, but when sees that Harry and Vada need an outlet, she gladly takes the job (`They're dead. All they have are their looks,' she cheerfully gleams.) Vada likes Shelly, but when she sees that Harry has developed a crush on her, she feels threatened. She does not want Shelley to take the place of her late mother, who died two days after Vada was born. Her only outlet is Thomas J., with whom she rides her bike to the lake and discusses all of the Big Issues (the meaning of life, love, death, which ‘70s TV family they'd live with.)

The other momentous event of the summer is Vada developing her first crush. It isn't Thomas J. (who idolizes her), but her teacher, Mr. Bixler (Griffin Dunne). He teaches a summer writing class at the local college, and Vada enrolls. Besides being the youngest in the class, she is also the only one who hasn't been taken over by 1970s psychedelia (one day, the class takes part in a group meditation.)

The strength of "My Girl" isn't its story, but its little nuances of innocent bliss. Vada willingly shows a group of glowing boys a dead body. As the ride their bikes, Vada and Thomas J. sing `The Name Game'. When writing poems `from the soul', Vada writes an ode to ice cream. The relationship between Harry and Shelly is sweet, too. Before their first date, Harry's womanizing brother points out that since Harry's last date, a sexual revolution has occurred. Of course, Shelly only desires a proper and old-fashioned gentleman, which very much complicates their first date.

Well, I loved this film. As a viewer, I try to watch for inconsistencies in the performances and the script, but this film had none. Dan Aykroid and Jamie Lee Curtis bring a low-key charm to their roles. Both have their flaws, and it sometimes seems they have nothing in common. But for some inexplicable reason, they are brought together and their encounters are tactful, witty, and very real.

As for Anna Chlumsky, it can only be said that this young actress sets the standard for all child performances. This is not a performance, in a traditional manner; she eludes all cutesy standards of the traditional child performance, and becomes a complex, multi-dimensional person with true needs. This little girl is extremely intelligent, and when Chlumsky delivers lines beyond her years, she doesn't do it with sarcasm or adorability, but with the oblivious nature that 11-year-olds find themselves in. The world may be changing around her, but she tries her hardest to maintain her sanity and cheerfulness.

Though "My Girl" is advertised as a kid's film, and kids would probably like it, this film is for adults. It isn't always a happy film, and there is a major tragedy toward the end of the film. But rather than sentimentalize, the tragedy serves as a bridge for young Vada in between the realms of innocence and childhood and the real world of loss and sadness. And as dark as "My Girl" may sometimes be, there is always a sense of charm and warmth brought to the screen by the characters. This is a wonderful, wonderful film.

A cute movie about life and death and life of a young girl. The cast have great chemistry and it's hard not to love Culkin and Chlumsky, they are so adorable. The storyline is unique and the ending is heartbreakingly good.

I remember watching this movie with my Grandmother when I was around three or four years old. I could only remember two parts of it; when Vada does the sassy type walk across the porch, and when Thomas J. goes to find the mood ring, and nothing else. Not even the name. I watched it again for the first time in eleven years (I am now 14). This movie is a perfect mixture of comedy, romance and drama, for me at least. I think this movie teaches great values and lessons, that everyone should learn. Loyalty, friendship and love, are only a few things about this movie that I love. Everyone should at least give it a chance and see for themselves. I also recommend 'My Girl 2'.

It is a nice movie to watch when you wanna relax. The romance between two kids is shown in a kids' way. Showing the summer time and the ordinary things in kids' life, movie is not making u tensed. Even though it is not the kind of movie which builds up suspense and makes you curious about the ending, is very successfully captures the attention from beginning. You don't need to be patient to watch this movie.

Veda is a little girl growing up in a funeral home who is pretty normal kid but growing up in funeral home and knowing her dad is working on dead bodies in their basements, has some effects on her. on the other hand, Thomas J. is very simple fragile kid who is allergic to everything and follows his routine all the time.

The movie might sound common and boring but it has a twist on it. Worth watching

My Girl is one of the best favorable 90's films of all time, it was very touching, funny, sweet, dramatic, and sad. Anna Chlumsky and Macaulay Culkin was delightful to watch their chemistry overall loving connection was incredible. As child actors they were solid. Jamie Lee Curtis and Dan Aykroyd were great. My Girl would hit you hard and bring tears to your eyes. An all-star Hollywood favorite. A must see!

"My Girl" is about a very complicated 11-year-old girl. I say that because I don't remember being eleven as being as complicated as it was for Vada Sultenfuss (Anna Chlumsky).

Anna was a slightly different eleven-year-old girl. Her mother died giving birth to her, her father runs a funeral parlor out of the house, and she is a hypochondriac. Other than that, her life is normal. One of the normalcies of her life is her best friend Thomas J. (Macaulay Culkin). The two of them do all the things that normal kids in a small town in 1972 would do.

The movie is a precious movie. I don't know if it over-complicated girlhood or not because I'm not a girl and never was. The essence of the movie was death: preparing for it, observing it, and getting past it. It's a morbid topic if you think about it, but "My Girl" toned down the morbidity of it by having a child star. "My Girl" is cute, sad, happy, and heartwarming and the dearest character Macaulay played in his formative years.

Honestly, this movie is fine. It's a sweet, sentimental coming of age story with some really good performances (particularly from Anna Chlumsky), some fun moments, and a generally breezy, well paced story that doesn't overstay its welcome.

Sure, I think the "incident" that this movie is mostly known for - despite leading to a great scene - feels a bit rushed and narratively, seems to happen a bit too late for my liking. But, it's nothing "movie ruining", you know?

No, what struck me the most about My Girl is how rare movies like these are today. Not that coming-of-age stories don't come out anymore, just that when they do, they're seen by relatively small audiences and are nowadays almost never wide releases. I actually watched the trailer on YouTube out of curiosity, because...in the age of franchises and sequels, selling a simple story about a little girl in the summer of 1972 to a large audience just wouldn't be possible today.

But, I definitely remember movies like this. And, even though I hadn't seen My Girl before, it felt nostalgic. I think there's a growing fatigue with the state of Hollywood today; 2024 will probably go down in history as the most sequel heavy box office yet. The "original premise" is a dying breed. It's a sad state of affairs, and hopefully, it changes. But, until then, at least movies like My Girl still exist.

Something about this movie sucks you in. Even if you take away the guts, it has its own little world. I believe this might be so more for me, since I didn't live through the time it takes place, but I found the atmosphere one that almost makes you forget about the "adult world," which is charming.

The story is also very well done. This movie is typically revered as one more enjoyed by children, but I think adults can get something out of it too, from the psychological depth of the characters. The plot also is not very cliché at all...so little that it stands out, and is inimitable enough that no one has even tried to rip it off.

The acting is also pristine. Lastly, what tops off this movie is the music. As important as the movie itself is, even a good movie can be dulled out a little if the music isn't good. James Newton Howard outdoes himself here. The 70s tunes complete the effect of forgetting you're in a relatively punked out society where you won't find as many friendly streets. Also, several spots, such as Vada walking on the tree branches late in the movie, the music composed is an example of talent that few composers have to so fluently use music as a translation of emotions.

The story is good, and the execution, which is equally important (and often neglected in would-be awesome movies), is next to flawless. It is not by any means mind-blowing, but it is not meant to be, and you will remember it.

I recall seeing My Girl eleven years ago and fully understanding what was going on in the film. The chemistry between Culkin and Chumskly is good considering they are both kids. The film is funny and is heartbreaking because it was one of the first films to make me cry. I love this movie , but stay away from the sequel.

Death is what mainly pre-occupies little Vada Sultenfuss (Anna Chlumsky), who is about to hit puberty with all the usual insecurities - and a few additional ones to boot. She is handled sensitively by veteran director Howard Zieff, who directs this coming-of-age film just on the right side of manipulative and reels home a cute, funny and at times poignant tear-jerker. Utilizing Laurice Elehwany's script, he is not afraid to demonstrate his fondness for the spirit of the sexual revolution. Chlumsky gives a spirited, intelligent performance in her feature film debut. She stands out among a fine cast.

... and I am truly sorry it took me so long to see it. It really is as good as the other reviewers say. It is everything the film promised to be, and these were the reasons why I loved other movies like Stand By Me so much. My Girl is beautiful, it is charming and it is poignant. I have been prone to cry in movies like the Elephant Man, Fearless, Camille and Stand By Me, not to mention and you'll probably think me weird Harry Potter 6. Here, especially the ending I bawled like a baby, and I am not afraid to admit that. But what struck me most was the innocence of My Girl. The scenes with the two children are some of the most charming scenes in any film I have seen. The cinematography is beautiful and the scenery is breathtaking. The direction is next to faultless, and the screenplay has a sense of subtlety and poignancy. The film's length is perfect, and the romance between Harry and Shelley wasn't cloying at all. The music is truly beautiful, and brings warmth and beauty to the proceedings. The performances were truly professional, with charming low-key performances from Jamie Lee Curtis and Dan Aykroyd and Anna Chlumsky is wholly believable in a more complex child performance than one would expect from her. And Macaulay Culkin was so cute here, even cuter than he was in the Home Alone movies. The film also has a sweet heart warming story, that avoids becoming overly sentimental. I really hate how under appreciated this gem is. It isn't the best movie ever made, but it doesn't try to be. It is essentially a charming and poignant film, that I think critics have misunderstood in the past. It is more than a bittersweet kids movie, it is simply a pleasant little gem. 10/10 Bethany Cox

When Roger Ebert gave this film 3.5 stars, I naturally figured it must have something worth my time, especially as it boasted Jamie Lee Curtis in one of the leading roles. Imagine my surprise to discover a slow, unimaginative plot and wooden performances all around! Not only that, these kids are from Mars or possibly further out. It's as though they actually grew up on one of the TV shows they aspire to living in. This might rate 3.5 stars if you're 9 years old, maybe. For those more mature or discerning, time would be better spent watching something like "Angelo, My Love", directed by Robert Duvall. Now there's a kid with his feet on the ground!