As a teen growing up, I had a lot of things going on. From adjusting to being in high school, keeping grades up, and finding a group to fit in, high school can be rough. Now any teenager can relate to the problems listed, but when relationships come into play a whole new set of issues start to arise.
Lindy, played by Maddie Ziegler is a young girl going through some of these issues but also has a boyfriend and feels like taking their relationship to the next level. When going to sign up for birth control Lindy is diagnosed with a reproductive condition known as MRKH syndrome. This diagnosis not only complicates her sex life but also her relationship with those around her.
Based on her own life story, Molly McGlynn gives us a story with heart that is perfect for teens during these confusing times. Zeigler gives a fantastic performance taking the viewers on an emotional journey as she travels through this new reality for her. Lindy eventually realizes that being true to yourself is more important than living up to societal norms but to get to this realization she goes through some hardships.
After getting her diagnosis, she questions her relationship with her boyfriend. The already strained relationship with her mother intensifies as her mother wants her to be a “normal” girl. This term is thrown around a few times, mostly by male doctors, and makes the viewer question what is normal and why must things be fixed to make things appear normal.
Within Lindy’s story, we meet and learn about Jax, played by Ki Griffin, who is a non-binary person who befriends her. Through this friendship/relationship, Lindy learns how Jax’s parents tried to fix her and how Jax learned to speak her truth to help others who are like her. Jax becomes the voice in the darkness that helps Lindy see things clearly.
In these changing times, it is great to see films cover topics that might never see the light of day. Whereas teen comedies used to be about the peer pressure of having sex, Fitting In shows us the pressure of “fitting” in today’s society. In the end, we all must come to an understanding of what normal is and understand that it’s ok for things to be different.
Final Thoughts: Fitting In is a great story about finding what is really important in your life. Maddie Ziegler beautifully gives us an emotional journey that shows that everyone is different and that is ok. This touching film should be required viewing for high schoolers.
Kid-Friendly: Fitting In is great for teenagers who are going through puberty or have questions about where they fit in this world. The lessons that Lindy learns are universal to kids around this age.
Violence: There is no violence in the movie.
A joyful, comedic drama, from writer/director Molly McGlynn, Fitting In is a coming-of-age story that follows 16-year-old Lindy (Maddie Ziegler) who is unexpectedly diagnosed with a reproductive condition, MRKH syndrome. The diagnosis upends her plans to have sex, her presumptions about womanhood and sexuality, her relationship with her mother, and most importantly, herself.
A semi-autobiographical feature written and directed by Molly McGlynn (Mary Goes Round), Fitting In stars Maddie Ziegler, Emily Hampshire, Djouliet Amara, D’Pharaoh Woon-A-Tai, and Ki Griffin. The feature film is produced by Jennifer Weiss and Liane Cunje, and executive produced by Janelle Monae, Mikael Moore, Molly McGlynn, Brenden Brady, Adrian Love, Laurie May, James Huntsman, and Lisa Gutberlet.