In 2015, Haley Kiyoko released a music video that became a cultural touchstone for queer women everywhere. Now, eleven years and over 163 million views later, that story has evolved into a full-length feature film. Girls Like Girls, Kiyoko's directorial debut, brings the same tender, sun-drenched romance to theaters, starring Maya Da Costa as Coley and Myra Malloy as Sonya.
The film follows Coley, a shy teenager spending the summer in rural Oregon, who falls deeply in love with the enigmatic Sonya. What unfolds is a slow-burn, achingly authentic portrait of first love—messy, awkward, and utterly transformative. Kiyoko, who co-wrote the script with Stephanie Scott, infuses every frame with the care of someone who has lived this story. The result is a film that feels less like a directorial debut and more like a gift to anyone who has ever felt seen by the original music video.
Malloy and Da Costa Shine as Sapphic Leads
At first, both leads come across as stiff—full of hesitant pauses, stumbling words, and the kind of awkward energy that defines teenage infatuation. But as the narrative unfolds, that stiffness reveals itself as intentional. Coley, once a quiet wallflower, blossoms into an emotional powerhouse, while Sonya sheds her performative femininity to become more grounded and real. It's a beautiful metamorphosis, and both actresses handle it with remarkable nuance.
Their chemistry is electric, capturing the push-and-pull of young love where neither person is quite sure who is chasing whom. By the film's end, it's clear that Kiyoko and her cast have crafted two deeply authentic queer experiences—stories of growing up and falling in love for the first time, with all the vulnerability that entails.
A Visual Love Letter to Summer
In an era where many films suffer from flat, sanitized lighting, Girls Like Girls stands out. Every scene is bathed in warm, golden sunlight—whether it's filtering through dusty blinds, casting a pink haze over Sonya's bedroom, or illuminating the pair as they walk along an abandoned train track. The film looks like how summer felt when you were a teenager: hazy, nostalgic, and full of possibility.
The attention to detail extends to the set design, which is packed with Easter eggs from the original music video. Vintage keyboards, braided plastic chokers, and other period-appropriate touches ground the story in a specific, relatable time. It's this careful craftsmanship that elevates the film beyond a simple adaptation.
Critical and Audience Acclaim
According to Rotten Tomatoes, Girls Like Girls has earned an 89% critics' score and a 91% audience rating, with praise centered on its earnest storytelling and authenticity. For fans of other recent queer coming-of-age stories like Prime Video's 'Off Campus', this film offers a similarly heartfelt and steamy exploration of young love.
Kiyoko's debut accomplishes exactly what it set out to do: capture the fleeting beauty and hellish melodrama of coming of age, and the transformative power of falling in love when you're too young to know what you're doing. With its warm visuals, thoughtful performances, and deeply personal touch, Girls Like Girls is a must-watch for anyone who has ever felt the ache of first love.
Let's hope this is just the beginning for sapphic coming-of-age stories on the big screen. If Girls Like Girls is any indication, the future is bright—and beautifully, warmly lit.
