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Hopping on the nostalgia train is Netflix's latest original Mixtape. This heartfelt, coming-of-age movie is set in 1999, pre-Y2K era. It revolves around a 12-year-old's journey to recover the songs on her late parents' broken mixtapes. Mixtape will make you laugh, cry, and rejoice in the 90s nostalgia.
Directed by Valerie Weiss, Mixtape released on Netflix on 3 December 2021. It stars Gemma Brooke Allen in the lead role, with Julie Bowen, Nick Thune, Audrey Hsieh and Olga Petsa also being a part of the cast. Scriptwriter Stacey Menear has done a marvelous job of depicting a mirthful yet complex story without over-the-top emotions.
'Mixtape' synopsis
Mixtape is a wholesome story of Beverly Moody who lost her parents to a car accident when she was two years old. The 12 year-old had been raised by her grandmother Gail but remains curious about her parents and whether they would have liked her if they were alive.
Her life is turned around when she discovers a broken mixtape belonging to her late parents. Having had no answers from her grandmother regarding her parents, she turns to the mixtape.
Anti, a cynical record store owner, is the first stop on Beverly's whimsical journey to finding all the songs on her parents' mixtape. Along the way, she also befriends Ellen and Nicky who help her find the songs and uncover the message her parents might have left for her.
Mixtape presents a saccharine, heartwarming picture of these tween friendships, with Anti being the sardonic yet fun adult in the story.
Dealing with loss
Despite the feel-good and endearing elements of Mixtape, the script does not shy away from the complex themes of loss and grief. Beverly's relationship with her grandmother, her only surviving family, elicits deeper emotions in the film. However, the film maintains a balanced presentation of all these sentiments, without sinking into melodrama or mawkish drivel.
Instead of dealing with her loss, Gail has thrown herself into work and raising Beverly. As a result, she was unable to talk about her daughter whenever Beverly posed questions.
Beverly's persistent insecurity about whether her parents would have liked her was exacerbated by the punk rock artist who had been a contemporary of her parents. Finding no answers to her question from her grandmother, she became adrift and downcast.
The emotions of grief and loss are palpable in the film and are bound to touch the viewers. The film's quiet and nuanced depiction of these sentiments is what makes it masterful. A lot has been said in a few words and subtle expressions.
The key scene between Gail and Beverly when the former finally came to terms with her loss is a tear-jerker. While Mixtape mostly targets younger viewers, it's not juvenile in its narrative and will touch audiences of all ages.
Mixtape is now available to watch on Netflix.
