Big Girls Don’t Cry (2026) ‘Sundance’ Movie Review: A familiar but sensitively rendered snapshot of girlhood circa mid-2000s

Backed by the great Jane Campion under her film program “A Wave In the Ocean”, writer-director Paloma Paloma Schneideman’s “Big Girls Don’t Cry” is the kind of coming-of-age film that you will instantly recognise. Movies about growing up—especially those that view identity as a journey we have to take, one of constant evolution, learning, and unlearning—are far too many. However, with every new iteration, you also get to see versions of yourself – versions that you had to give up on because they weren’t as cool as they seemed in your head. 

Schneideman’s keen eye and focused lens provide a tale so full of curiosity and desire, rebellion and confusion that you are bound to be mesmerized by its sincerity and vulnerability – all wrapped in a deeply realized character study of a fragile mind that is easily manipulated by the urge to fit in. Set in rural New Zealand, circa 2006, powered by Nokia cellphones with keypads, dial-up internet connection, and an MSN contact list defining how hip you are, Schneideman’s vision of girlhood, despite the familiarity, feels like a sensitively rendered snapshot of a teenager traversing through the uncomfortable lanes of discovering herself. 

We follow 14-year-old Sid Bookman (Ani Palmer) over the course of a summer break. Sid is the kind of lonely teenager whose idea of sexuality is possibly inspired by whatever the internet hands her over. The opening sequence finds her on an online video-chat forum, uncomfortably watching a guy masturbate to just her presence on the other side of a video-cam that is switched off. At this point, Sid is possibly learning that this is a deeply uncomfortable occurrence, which should, in fact, make her uncomfortable. 

She is the kind of rebellious teenager whose idea of being cool comes with a lack of guidance. Her father, Leo (Noah Taylor), is largely absent, doing whatever work he finds locally – including cleaning pools, cutting grass, etc. Sid is not too fond of him, but since her mother must have left them long ago, there’s no other choice but to stick around. She is also gay, although she has no idea that being attracted to girls is even an option that she could have. Other than hanging out with her best friend, Tia (Ngataitangiru Hita), there isn’t much for Sid to really do in her small town. 

So, when her elder sister (and only sane guardian), Adele (Tara Canton), arrives back home with her American friend, Freya (Rain Spencer), teenage rebellion takes a strong foothold inside her. One random day, she decides to snap out and beyond her sheltered friendship with Tia and pursue one of the hot girls she has a crush on. Lana (Beatrix Wolfe) is the kind of fashion-forward teenager who would only have low-calorie beer and would possibly be an influencer if the film were set in 2026. 

Somehow, Sid is able to befriend Lana and a couple of other older boys. However, with every change in her looks, personality, and clothes, she only gets more and more agile to messing things up. Thereon, “Big Girls Don’t Cry” goes to some really uncomfortable places, holding up a mirror for Sid and a million other young girls confused about their sexuality or their identity. But all the while unshaming the temporal spin that comes with puberty.

Schneideman always keeps her camera fixated on Sid, allowing each emotion to appear raw and unfiltered for you to relate to. We see the young girl lying through her teeth, mimicking people who she assumes to be cool and wishes to be validated by, and she appears to hide an important part of herself because she does not have the vocabulary to express it. Each layer of unexpressed emotion is carefully and subtly replicated on the screen, thanks in large part to Schneideman’s sensitive direction and Ani Plamer’s incredible turn as Sid. 

Overall, “Big Girls Don’t Cry” works because the filmmaker never uses nostalgia as bait and works her way around teenage hopes and dreams. The summer might not be the best in Sid’s life, but there’s so much more life left in front of her that you know that the older her would be so much wiser, smarter, and joyous allowing herself to be who she really is. 

Big Girls Don’t Cry premiered at the 2026 Sundance Film Festival

Big Girls Don’t Cry (2026) Movie Links: IMDb, Rotten Tomatoes, Letterboxd, Sundance
Big Girls Don’t Cry (2026) Movie Cast: Ani Palmer, Noah Taylor, Rain Spencer, Beatrix Rain Wolfe, Tara Canton