By Lazarae Delvalle ’26
The movie “My Girl” is a coming of age drama that starts off feeling simple but slowly turns into something much more emotional and unforgettable. It follows Vada Sultenfuss, a young girl growing up in a funeral home where death is not something distant or unknown, but something she sees every day. Even with that environment, she still thinks like a child and constantly worries about dying while trying to understand emotions she is not ready for. That contrast between what she is exposed to and what she actually understands is what makes the story hit harder as it goes on.
Vada is what makes the film feel real. She is emotional, anxious, and sometimes overwhelming in the way kids can be when they are trying to make sense of the world. She is not perfect or overly mature which makes her easier to connect with. Her fear of death is not random because it comes from her life experiences and the fact that she has already lost her mother. Even though she is surrounded by death every day she still does not fully understand it which creates a quiet tension throughout the movie.
Her friendship with Thomas J. is one of the most important parts of the story. He is steady, kind, and always there for her even when she is difficult to deal with. Their friendship feels honest in a way that reflects real childhood relationships where small moments feel huge and meaningful. One detail that stands out is his allergies which seem small at first but actually represent how fragile life can be without saying it directly.
The funeral home setting is also very symbolic. It places Vada in the middle of loss and grief all the time but she is still too young to fully process what she is seeing. She watches people mourn and say goodbye but she is still trying to figure out her own emotions at the same time. That mix of exposure and confusion shapes the entire emotional tone of the film.
Everything changes in one of the most iconic scenes. Vada loses her mood ring which she uses to understand her emotions, like it is something that can explain how she feels. Thomas J. goes back into the woods to find it for her without hesitation. At first it seems like a small act of friendship but it becomes the moment that changes everything in the story.
While trying to get the ring Thomas J. is attacked by bees and dies. The way it happens is sudden and unsettling because there is no warning or buildup that prepares the audience for it. That unpredictability is what makes the moment feel real and so hard to accept. It reflects how life can change instantly without any explanation.
After this, the funeral scene becomes one of the most emotional parts of the entire film. Vada keeps saying he needs his glasses even though he is now dead, which shows that she is still thinking in a childlike way. Instead of fully understanding death, she focuses on something physical that feels like it could be fixed. That reaction shows how innocence tries to hold on to logic even when reality is something different. It is the moment where she begins to lose that childhood way of thinking.
From that point on the story shifts completely. Vada’s fear of death is no longer something she talks about in an abstract way because she has now experienced real loss. What once felt like thoughts and worries becomes something personal and permanent. That is where the film shows the end of innocence.
Overall, “My Girl” stands out because it shows that growing up is not always gradual or gentle. Sometimes it happens in one moment that changes how everything feels. Through Vada’s friendship with Thomas J., the symbolic setting, and the sudden tragedy, the film captures how quickly childhood can disappear and how deeply that kind of loss can stay with someone.
The Raider Press 