Fitting In opens with an introductory quote by author Simone deBeauvoir, “Your body is not a thing but a situation.” Written and directed by Molly McGlynn, this film is a semi-autobiographical exploration of her struggles and frustrations with a unique medical condition. The story portrays her adolescent mind trying to come to terms with the fact that her body is different from other “normal” teens while facing the temptations of risqué behavior. Fitting In covers lots of heavy ground around a sensitive subject matter.

The film centers on Lindy, played by Maddie Ziegler. She is a teenage girl that is curious about boys, connection, and popularity in the beginning scenes of the film. Lindy is an athlete and hangs out with her friend Vivian, played by Djouliet Amara, and is also close to a boy named Adam, played by D’Pharaoh Woon-A-Tai. Lindy’s close group of friends are fascinated by typical subjects faced when growing up, with sex being the primary focus. Lindy’s mother, Rita, is played by Emily Hampshire. She is a single mom that works as a counselor and Lindy is not close with her. The storyline is an explicit dive into Lindy’s sexual curiosity as she experiences crushes, sexting, and off-the-wall curiosities. of sexting, crushes, and curiosities. Lindy faces a hard awakening when she goes to a doctor and is informed that she has a rare reproductive condition that willaffect her sex life and ability to have children. This diagnosis creates a major crisis which becomes the central conflict of the film.

I enjoyed the relationship and connection between Lindy and her mother. Lindy’s mom tries to be there for her daughter as Lindy just wants her body to change. Lindy’s condition is incurable which is hard for her to accept. Lindy’s becomes angry at her situation and releases it in various places including track practice and experimenting with drugs. She is determined to feel connected no matter the consequences. Fitting In delivers a representation of how hard it can be for those to accept that there is an error with their anatomy. Lindy screams, “I am not normal!” Lindy’s mother asks her, “When did I become your enemy?” Fitting In paints a picture of the frustrations encountered in fulfilling desires when there is no sense of normalcy. I felt that the movie was more graphic in parts than it needed to be.

This is not a teen flick comedy. It is a hard R film that takes a realistic look through the core of its writing and portrayal of in-depth emotional patterns. The exploration of truth and curiosity is honest in Fitting In. The difficult part for Lindy is that she feels her poor choices are excused because of her disorder. Despite the sensitive topic of Fitting In, it is a real movie based on scenarios which can happen in an adolescent’s life. Fortunately in Lindy’s case, there is hope for a better resolution and a comfort to her sadness. Three stars for Fitting In.