The Sky Is Everywhere (2022)

Directed by Josephine Decker. Starring Grace Kaufman, Jacques Colimon, Pico Alexander, Ji-young Yoo, Jason Segel, Cherry Jones, Julia Schlaepfer, Tyler Lofton, Havana Rose Liu. [PG-13]

An introverted teen (Kaufman) struggles to cope with the death of her older sister, finding incomplete measures of solace in the company of her best friend (Yoo), the new kid in school (Colimon), and the deceased sister’s boyfriend (Alexander). An imitative and repetitious coming-of-ager; the bold, twirling stylistic strategy may be a mixed bag, but the avant-garde ambition is appreciated, especially since it provides sparks of interest when the narrative flounders or sleepwalks. That stunted storytelling makes a muddle of its bereavement process, and although Kaufman’s efforts are respectable trying to breathe trembling life into her off-the-sadsack-rack archetype, the supporting cast lacks the naturalism to overcome lengthy passages of self-conscious dialogue. Scribe Jandy Nelson adapted her own YA novel.

44/100