No one said growing up is easy. Beyond peer pressure, raging hormones, and perpetual uncertainty, family loyalty is often a struggle as you prepare to forge your path forward through life. In Momentum Pictures‘ Wildflower trailer, Bea Johnson (Kiernan Shipka) wrestles with remaining close to her neurodivergent parents while deciding her future away from the nest she calls home.
According to the film’s official synopsis, Wildflower is a hilarious, big-hearted celebration of family in all its variety. Shipka (Mad Men, Chilling Adventures of Sabrina) stars alongside Dash Mihok (Silver Linings Playbook, The Day After Tomorrow), Charlie Plummer (Looking For Alaska, The Clovehitch Killer), Alexandra Daddario (Baywatch, Texas Chainsaw 3D), Brad Garrett (Everybody Loves Raymond, Tangled), Reid Scott (Veep, The Big C), and Erika Alexander (Get Out, Living Single) in the coming-of-age film about growing up too fast and slowing down enough to recognize one’s good fortune. In addition to the cast mentioned above, Wildflower introduces Samantha Hyde (Superheroes, Atypical) with Jacki Weaver (The Disaster Artist, Animal Kingdom) and Jean Smart (Babylon, 24).
Matt Smukler (The Hiccup, The Wake Up Call) directs Wildflower from a script by Jana Savage. In the Wildflower trailer, Shipka’s Bea strives to balance looking at the road ahead and caring for her parents. Being named after the classic Disney character Bambi comes with enough problems, but happiness is a reward that name-shaming can’t diminish. With pressure to grow up coming from all sides, Bea is stuck between a rock and a hard place regarding her college plans and feels like she’s about to abandon her family. However, everything changes when young love enters the picture, and Bea’s parents realize their little girl is all grown up and needs to live a life of her own. Can Bea depend on others to pick up her slack? Will her parents understand that life goes on and Bea is becoming her own woman?
Woof! The Wildflowers trailer is hitting me right in the feels. Deciding to move away from your family in search of other opportunities is challenging. I moved to Canada seven years ago next month and have only seen my family three times since. It’s still the best decision I’ve ever made, but nothing about it was easy. I hope Bea is happy with her choices by the film’s end.
Wildflower arrives in theaters on March 17, 2023, and On Demand and Digital on March 21, 2023.