My Girl (1991)

My Girl (1991) is a bittersweet coming-of-age comedy-drama set in 1972. It follows 11-year-old Vada Sultenfuss (Anna Chlumsky), an intelligent, hypochondriacal tomboy who’s grown up surrounded by death — her widower father Harry (Dan Aykroyd) runs the local funeral home — and whose best friend is the awkward, allergy-prone Thomas J. Sennett (Macaulay Culkin). When quirky, warm-hearted Shelly DeVoto (Jamie Lee Curtis) is hired as the mortuary’s makeup artist, Vada begins to discover a maternal connection, first crushes, and the complicated, sometimes painful lessons of growing up. Watching the film you’ll get a mix of gentle humor and real emotional weight: playful, awkward kid moments and warm family scenes contrast with frank, poignant explorations of grief and loss. The movie balances lighthearted, often funny character interactions with quieter, tearful beats, making it both tender and honest about childhood fears and the process of maturing. Expect to laugh at the kids’ antics and Vada’s dramatic imaginings, but also to be moved by sincere performances (especially Chlumsky and Curtis) and a homespun 1970s atmosphere. My Girl is family-friendly yet emotionally rich — ideal for viewers who enjoy nostalgic, character-driven stories that blend comedy and drama and aren’t afraid to make you reach for a tissue.

Actors: Anna Chlumsky, Macaulay Culkin, Dan Aykroyd

Director: Howard Zieff

Runtime: 102 min

Genres: Comedy, Drama, Family

6.3 /10 56 /100 6.9 /10 6.3 /10