‘Princess Cyd’ Review: A Tender, Though Imperfect, Coming-of-Age Film
Princess Cyd (2017) is a sweet coming-of-age film that is remarkable for featuring a lead queer female character without focusing on coming out or any other issues related to her sexuality. While it struggles technically at some points and has some moments and characters that certainly could have benefited from being fleshed out more, its low conflict, slice of life nature makes for a very soft film. Its focus on relationships and its exploration of sexuality and spirituality are tender and sweet to watch.
In Princess Cyd, 16-year-old Cyd (Jessie Pinnick) is sent to stay with her novelist aunt, Miranda (Rebecca Spence), in Chicago during the summer. The two have not seen each other since Cyd’s mom’s funeral when Cyd was eight. However, their relationship quickly grows and they form a close bond, discussing important topics and changing each others’ perceptions. Cyd also begins a romance with barista Katie (Malic White), exploring herself and her sexuality over the summer.
There is almost no conflict in the film; rather it simply focuses on the lives of its characters and their relationships with each other. The central relationship in the film is that between Cyd and her aunt Miranda. While their dynamic at the beginning of the film is slightly strange as they don’t really know or understand each other, they quickly grow close and become very open with each other about things like sex in a very refreshing way. Miranda is a fantastic character — a religious novelist who finds a lot of joy in the little things in life. She and Cyd are both complex characters who feel very authentic. They are very different from each other in a way that makes for a fascinating relationship dynamic.
The main romantic relationship in the film between Cyd and a local girl named Katie is, in a word, sweet. The two are adorable together from the first moment when their eyes meet as Katie works in a coffee shop. For a movie about LGBTQ+ teens, it’s also wonderful that the two have absolutely no shame around their sexuality; they simply exist. I do wish that Katie’s character had been a bit more fleshed out though — for the main love-interest in the film, we learn very little about her.
While one of Princess Cyd’s strengths is its relationships, it struggles a bit in terms of its writing and its general technical soundness. While the film has little conflict, there’s a sexual assault story-line that almost feels thrown-in near the end, and seems unnecessary, especially as its not followed up on at all — the character who is affected seems entirely unaffected by the event in its aftermath. It also seems a bit confused on where it’s going with Miranda’s character. At some points she’s downright joyful to be single, but at some moments there are implied romantic undertones in her interactions with her friend that they are apparently both not acting on. A lot of the dialogue also feels awkward — in some moments in a natural and realistic manner, but in many moments in a way that felt stilted and unnatural.
Ultimately, Princess Cyd is simply about love and joy, which, in a movie about a queer female character, is wonderful. While the film is by no means perfect, it’s incredibly charming and soft in a way that feels comforting and cozy to watch.
