Shoppers are heading back to cinemas as Girls Like Girls blooms on the big screen , a tender, 2006‑set queer coming‑of‑age romance that matters because it centres mixed‑race young women, speaks to small‑town isolation, and offers a rare, intimate portrait of first love.

Essential Takeaways

  • Fresh directorial debut: Hayley Kiyoko makes a confident move from pop star to filmmaker with an emotionally assured first feature.
  • Standout performances: Maya da Costa and Myra Molloy bring soft, combustible chemistry and believable teenage awkwardness.
  • Period detail adds texture: Set in 2006 rural Oregon, the film feels quietly nostalgic , AIM messages and mixtape moods included.
  • Representation matters: The leads are mixed‑race women, and the film treats queer love as central, not token.
  • Accessible and affecting: Critics and audiences note the film’s warmth, clear-eyed storytelling, and modest runtime that doesn’t overstay its welcome.

A directorial leap that still smells of the pop star who started it all

Hayley Kiyoko’s leap from music to movies is the headline here, and you can still feel her pop instincts , a strong sense of rhythm, visual hooks and a knack for intimate, music‑tinged moments. According to Vogue, Kiyoko carried the Girls Like Girls idea through several incarnations before landing on this feature, so the film feels like a polished culmination rather than a throwaway project. The result is confident without being flashy, like a song stripped back to its best verse.

Two leads who make awkward, tender feel real

Maya da Costa (in her feature debut) and Myra Molloy hold the centre with a vulnerable, lived‑in chemistry. Critics at The Guardian highlighted how the performances anchor the story, making the small gestures , a look, a touch, a clumsy apology , register as big stakes. If you’ve ever felt your heart speed up over a text message, you’ll recognise the nervous energy here; the actors sell it with quiet, believable detail.

Setting and era: why 2006 in rural Oregon still matters

The film’s 2006 setting isn’t just window dressing. It deepens the sense of isolation and secrecy that shapes the characters’ choices, from clunky chat clients to the subtle ways communities police difference. Film Independent’s event Q&A underscored how that era sharpened Kiyoko’s desire to show the internal, almost invisible ways queer kids navigated desire. For viewers who grew up in a pre‑smartphone world, those tactile, specific details bring a soft, bittersweet nostalgia.

Representation that’s both personal and political

Kiyoko has been explicit about why representation matters; she told Film Independent that seeing people like you on screen can be life‑changing. The film’s leads are mixed race and queer, and while race isn’t the plot’s battleground, their identities add texture and urgency to the story. That choice pushes the movie beyond a simple teen romance and into territory that feels reflective of many real lives , and necessary in a market that too often sidelines such stories.

From viral single to novel to feature , the long arc pays off

Fans will know Girls Like Girls first as Kiyoko’s viral 2015 single and music video, and later a bestselling YA novel; the film is the logical next step. Industry coverage, including a recent CinemaBlend interview, notes Kiyoko adjusted the ending from earlier versions to land on something she’s proud of, which gives the movie a mature, decisive eye. It’s a reminder that some stories take years to find the right form , and that persistence can pay off in a work that resonates on several levels.

How to watch and who it’s for

If you’re into thoughtful coming‑of‑age dramas, this is one to prioritise. It’s especially resonant for viewers seeking authentic queer narratives or those who grew up in small towns and recognise the social tightropes. For parents or guardians, the film is a good entry point to conversations about identity, consent and the awkwardness of first relationships , and it’s quietly hopeful rather than sensational.

It’s a small change that can make every first love feel a little safer.

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