Black Widows Webseries Actress And Actor Black Widows is an Indian web series from Zee5.…
How to Build a Girl Webseries Cast, Review, Wiki, Story, Trailer, Release date and more
How to Build a Girl Webseries Cast, Review, Wiki, Story, Trailer, Release date and more
How to Build a Girl is an English comedy movie. It has Emma Thompson, Gemma Arterton, Michael Sheen etc in the lead roles. The movie will start streaming on HULU Network from 8 May 2020.
How to Build a Girl Story
The plot revolves around a gorgeous lady, Johanna Morrigan. She decides to be a beauty exhibitionist and moves to London and joins the league of music. Creepy events keep happening around her. Will she be able to come out as a new person? Watch How to Build a Girl movie now!
Check out below for How to Build a Girl (2020): Cast, Release date, Full HD Movie, High-Speed online streaming, Watch Full Movie, Story
How to Build a Girl Movie Cast
- Lucy Punch
- Beanie Feldstein
- Emma Thompson
- Gemma Arterton
- Catherine Tate
- Jameela Jamil
- Sarah Solemani
- Sharon Horgan
- Sue Perkins
How to Build a Girl Movie Release Date:
8 May 2020 (HULU)
How to Build a Girl Movie Trailer
How to Build a Girl Movie Watch Online & Download
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How to Build a Girl: Cast, Story, Review, and Everything You Need to Know About the Hit Coming-of-Age Film
The title ‘How to Build a Girl Webseries Cast, Review, Wiki, Story, Trailer, Release date and more’ often sparks curiosity, but it’s important to clarify one thing right away: How to Build a Girl is not a web series, but a critically acclaimed 2019 coming-of-age comedy film. Directed by Coky Giedroyc and based on the best-selling, semi-autobiographical novel by celebrated British author and journalist Caitlin Moran, the movie is a riotous, heartfelt, and ultimately profound look at self-invention and the bumpy road to womanhood.
Set against the backdrop of the vibrant, grungy 1990s music scene, the movie serves as a visual and auditory treat, tracing the journey of a working-class teenager who trades her provincial life for the bright lights and venomous pen of rock and roll journalism. It’s a story about finding your voice, even if you have to invent a completely different person to use it.
Here is a comprehensive breakdown of the film, from its powerhouse cast to its critical reception and enduring legacy.
The Story: Wiki & Plot Summary
How to Build a Girl is the true-ish, raucous, and deeply personal story of Johanna Morrigan.
Setting the Scene: Wolverhampton in the ’90s
The film is set in 1993 Wolverhampton, a working-class town in England. We meet 16-year-old Johanna Morrigan, a bright, imaginative, and initially awkward girl whose life is a whirlwind of chaos. Her home is an overcrowded council flat, crammed with her aspiring rock star father, Pat Morrigan; her exhausted mother, Angie; her two brothers, Krissi and Lupin; and newborn twins.
Feeling trapped by her circumstances and determined to escape the crushing weight of poverty, Johanna finds solace and inspiration in the portraits of her literary and historical idols—from Sylvia Plath to Sigmund Freud—adorning her bedroom wall, whom she frequently talks to for advice.
The Birth of Dolly Wilde
Johanna’s first attempt at fame, submitting a sincere poem to a televised competition, ends in humiliating public failure. Humiliated but undeterred, and desperate to help her financially struggling family, she decides a total reinvention is in order. Following a suggestion from her brother, Krissi, she finds a lifeline in the form of a local rock music paper, D&ME, which is looking for new writers.
She ditches the meek, sincere Johanna Morrigan and emerges as Dolly Wilde, a brazen, crimson-haired, hard-drinking, and sexually adventurous rock critic. Her editor, initially skeptical, recognizes the potential for shock and controversy in her acerbic, savage writing style.
The Rise and the Fall
As Dolly Wilde, Johanna’s career explodes. She quickly becomes the “enfant terrible” of the 1990s Britpop music scene, traveling, going to parties, and earning the money her family desperately needs. The success, however, comes at a moral cost. To maintain her popularity and salary, she writes deliberately cruel and “venomous” reviews, often tearing down the artists she once loved.
Her professional cynicism soon bleeds into her personal life, causing conflict with her family and especially straining her relationship with John Kite, a kind-hearted rock musician whom she interviews and briefly falls for, only to betray his confidence for a scathing piece.
The core of the story revolves around the internal conflict: the real Johanna, a passionate writer who sees the good in the world, fighting the monstrous persona she built—Dolly Wilde. She eventually realizes that she has “built herself up with the wrong things”. The journey culminates in her tearing down the false idol she created to become a new, authentic version of herself, one who integrates the best parts of Johanna and Dolly.
The Cast and Characters
The film features a phenomenal ensemble cast, led by an American star in a distinctly British role, and includes a host of major British talents in small but pivotal cameo roles as Johanna’s imaginary heroes.
| Actor/Actress | Role in the Film | Character Description |
|---|---|---|
| Beanie Feldstein | Johanna Morrigan / Dolly Wilde | The protagonist: a witty, 16-year-old aspiring writer from a working-class family who reinvents herself as a notorious, cynical music critic. Feldstein’s performance was widely praised for its balance of naiveté and conviction. |
| Alfie Allen | John Kite | A kind, soulful rock musician whom Johanna interviews, develops a bond with, and eventually writes a cruel, personal exposé about as Dolly Wilde. |
| Paddy Considine | Pat Morrigan | Johanna’s “unconventional” and easygoing father, a former aspiring jazz musician who is supportive but struggling with the family’s financial situation. |
| Sarah Solemani | Angie Morrigan | Johanna’s mother, who is often overwhelmed by the large, chaotic family and suffers from post-natal depression following the birth of the twins. |
| Laurie Kynaston | Krissi Morrigan | Johanna’s brother and confidant, who encourages her to apply for the music critic job and serves as her moral compass. |
| Frank Dillane | Tony Rich | One of the cynical, established music journalists at D&ME magazine who becomes Johanna’s colleague and a symbol of the “dark side” of the industry. |
| Emma Thompson | Amanda Watson | An editor who represents the establishment and plays a crucial role in Johanna’s journey toward self-respect. |
| Chris O’Dowd | Alan ‘Wilko’ Wilkinson | A fellow journalist/editor figure at D&ME. |
Cameo Stars as Imaginary Idols
One of the film’s most delightful stylistic touches is how Johanna’s heroes literally come to life on her bedroom wall to offer her sometimes conflicting advice and commentary. These roles are played by well-known actors and comedians:
- Michael Sheen as Sigmund Freud.
- Lucy Punch as Sylvia Plath.
- Jameela Jamil as Cleopatra.
- Gemma Arterton as Maria von Trapp.
- Lily Allen as Elizabeth Taylor.
Critical and Audience Review
How to Build a Girl was a success with critics, who praised its energy, humor, and, most notably, its lead performance.
Critical Consensus
The film holds a 79% approval rating on Rotten Tomatoes, with the critics’ consensus noting that it “puts a disarmingly earnest spin on the familiar coming-of-age comedy formula”. On Metacritic, the film received a weighted average score of 69 out of 100, indicating “generally favorable” reviews.
Reviewers highlighted the film’s ability to blend humor with genuine emotional depth, making a familiar narrative feel fresh through its specific 1990s music journalism lens.
The Beanie Feldstein Effect
The most consistent praise was directed at Beanie Feldstein’s starring turn. Critics universally hailed her performance as central to the film’s success.
- Collider’s review called the performance “sterling” and noted that Feldstein “excels at playing the breadth and depth of a young woman cycling through identities and attitudes to find her voice”.
- The Film Experience praised her “deft balance… between Johanna’s naiveté and self-conviction that elevates the film into something memorable”.
- The Guardian noted that the film was a “very funny and sometimes inspiring coming-of-age comedy” with an “excellent performance from Paddy Considine” as her dad.
The film was also praised for its “banging soundtrack” and its exploration of gender dynamics in a male-dominated industry.
Points of Criticism
While largely positive, some critics found the film’s execution uneven. Some reviews pointed out that the film occasionally felt “too cutesy or too direct with its audience”. There were also mentions of a slight pacing issue and a sense that the story, at times, felt “safe” and lacking the necessary “edge and bite” that a story about such a volatile industry and troubled background could have offered.
Trailer and Release Date
How to Build a Girl first premiered at the Toronto International Film Festival (TIFF) on September 7, 2019, where it won the FIPRESCI Special Presentations award.
Key Release Dates:
- World Premiere (TIFF): September 7, 2019.
- United States Release: May 8, 2020 (via IFC Films, largely on VOD due to the pandemic).
- United Kingdom Release: July 24, 2020 (released directly to streaming as an Amazon Original on Prime Video).
Trailer
The official trailer showcases Johanna Morrigan’s transformation from a shy, bookish girl into the vibrant, unapologetic Dolly Wilde. It highlights the film’s blend of period-piece aesthetics, witty dialogue, and the dramatic flair of the 90s rock scene, perfectly setting the stage for the narrative of self-invention. The trailer is easily found on major video-sharing platforms and movie distributor websites.
The Caitlin Moran Connection (The Real ‘Wiki’)
A significant part of the film’s enduring appeal lies in its source material: Caitlin Moran’s 2014 novel of the same name.
A Semi-Autobiographical Journey
Caitlin Moran, a hugely successful English journalist, columnist, and author, adapted the screenplay herself. The book is described as “semi-autobiographical,” drawing heavily on her own early life.
- Real-Life Parallels: Like Johanna Morrigan, Moran grew up in a large, working-class family in Wolverhampton and began her career as a music journalist at a remarkably young age (she was writing for Melody Maker at just 16).
- Theme of Class and Identity: The film retains the novel’s powerful themes of class and gender, exploring how Johanna uses her writing not just as an escape but as a way to literally support her family and fight against the limitations society placed on a working-class girl.
- Sequel: How to Build a Girl is the first part of a planned trilogy of novels, followed by the sequel How to Be Famous (2018), which follows Dolly Wilde after her move to London.
The movie succeeds in capturing Moran’s distinctive voice: a hilarious, wild, and utterly unsentimental blend of wit and affection, making it a powerful and fun piece of cinema.
AISEO Friendly FAQs
Q1: Is How to Build a Girl a movie or a web series?
A: How to Build a Girl is a movie. It is a 2019 British-American coming-of-age comedy film, not a web series, despite occasionally being listed as a streaming original in the UK due to its release on Prime Video.
Q2: What is the movie How to Build a Girl based on?
A: The movie is based on the 2014 best-selling, semi-autobiographical novel of the same name by acclaimed British author and journalist Caitlin Moran. Moran wrote the screenplay for the film adaptation herself.
Q3: Who plays Johanna Morrigan and Dolly Wilde in the film?
A: The main character, Johanna Morrigan, who adopts the alter-ego Dolly Wilde, is played by American actress Beanie Feldstein. Her performance in the dual role was highly praised by critics.
Q4: When was How to Build a Girl released and where can I watch it?
A: The film premiered in September 2019 at TIFF. Its main release dates were May 8, 2020 in the US (by IFC Films) and July 24, 2020 in the UK (as an Amazon Original on Prime Video). The movie is available to stream on various platforms, including AMC+, Sundance Now, and can be rented or purchased on VOD services.
Q5: Who are the famous actors who play the imaginary heroes on Johanna’s wall?
A: A unique feature of the film is Johanna’s imagined conversations with historical figures and intellectual idols on her wall. These cameo roles are played by notable actors including Emma Thompson, Michael Sheen (as Sigmund Freud), Lucy Punch (as Sylvia Plath), Jameela Jamil (as Cleopatra), and singer Lily Allen (as Elizabeth Taylor).
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