A tender, very specific coming-of-age romance with real cultural resonance for queer teens, but it sounds more modest than fully satisfying as a feature. The emotional honesty and rural setting give it heart, while the reception suggests a cute, uneven film that may feel slight unless the premise is personally… Read more
40% ★★☆☆☆ (35,563)
Girls Like Girls
Where to watch: In Theaters
Movie · Romance · Drama · R
2026 · 1h 35m · ★ 40% (36K)
Love begins when you let it in.
Director: Hayley Kiyoko
Starring: Maya da Costa, Myra Molloy, Levon Hawke
Overview
Coley, 17, from rural Oregon, navigates intimacy after her mother's passing. Meeting Sonya sparks new feelings, but self-doubt hinders their connection. Sonya, unfamiliar with dating girls, is uncertain. They learn to embrace emotions.
Director
Hayley Kiyoko
Production
Marc Platt Productions, BuzzFeed Studios, CR8IV DNA
A tender, very specific coming-of-age romance with real cultural resonance for queer teens, but it sounds more modest than fully satisfying as a feature. The emotional honesty and rural setting give it heart, while the reception suggests a cute, uneven film that may feel slight unless the premise is personally meaningful.
Best for
queer coming-of-age stories
teen romance fans
viewers who want a gentle, affirming LGBTQ+ film
fans of intimate indie dramas
audiences drawn to summer-set self-discovery stories
Skip if
you want a tightly plotted drama
you prefer high-energy romance
you are looking for a deeply layered feature with lots of narrative complexity
you dislike small-scale, low-stakes indie storytelling
Overview
Girls Like Girls is built around a simple but potent emotional arc: grief, first attraction, and the fear of being seen. That combination can be powerful when handled with sincerity, and the film’s rural Oregon setting gives it a grounded, vulnerable texture that fits the story well.
Worth noting
The response suggests a movie that lands more as a meaningful milestone than a fully polished crowd-pleaser. It seems especially likely to resonate with younger queer viewers or anyone who remembers how rare it once felt to see this kind of story centered with affection.
Bottom line
If you come in wanting a breezy, heartfelt summer romance, there’s plenty here to like. If you need more narrative heft or sharper dramatic turns, it may feel a little thin, but its emotional purpose is clear and worthwhile.
Top Letterboxd reviews
amara (3★) · 2860 likes
jackieshauna if they won nationals
hugeasmammoth (3★) · 1836 likes
This was cute but also kinda boring. But some young person watching it will be able to see themselves in it and that’s all that matters truly. Also make sure to stay for the post credit scene!
-ˏˋ mak ˊˎ- (3★) · 1573 likes
this is a massive deal for people who were on tumblr in 2015 (me)
kiran · 1555 likes
i needed to see her beat his ass :(
sharknado lover (4★) · 1348 likes
This movie is for everyone who spent a suspicious amount of time rewatching one particular music video.