First Girl I Loved
2016 · Directed by Kerem Sanga
Original language: English
- drama
- romance
The story
Seventeen-year-old Anne just fell in love with Sasha, the most popular girl at her L.A. public high school. But when Anne tells her best friend, Clifton—who has always harbored a secret crush on her—he does his best to get in the way.
What it’s like
Soft natural light and handheld, close framing of teenagers in cramped bedrooms, hallways and softball fields, with a warm, slightly washed-out palette of school-yard greens and sunlit afternoons. The camera stays near faces, so awkward pauses and sidelong glances carry much of the weight, while the score is sparse and tender, leaning on acoustic guitar and quiet pop that drifts under the chatter of a Los Angeles high school. The vibe is bittersweet and wistful, a gentle coming-of-age ache with a clear-eyed streak of teenage jealousy. It suits a lazy weekend afternoon, a comfort rewatch, or anyone revisiting the first crush that felt like the whole world. Pacing is unhurried and conversational, and the emotional register stays mostly light, though the central arc, a girl discovering her feelings while her best friend quietly tries to hold on, turns more painful as the stakes sharpen. Intensity is low: some strong language, teenage drinking and kissing, and emotional sting, but no violence and no graphic sexual content. It is for viewers who want a sincere, character-driven story of first love and friendship that feels honest about how messy being seventeen can be.
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