Movies with female friendships at their core are some of the best of the best, especially in the coming-of-age genre. From hilarious comedies such as Booksmart and Mean Girls to darker dramas like Thirteen and Thoroughbreds, there’s something unique about the relationships young women form during this time, and oftentimes, they will shape them for the rest of their lives. Molly Manners’ (known for directing the Netflix hit romance series One Day) debut feature Extra Geography adds another duo to the canon, and though there are familiar tropes peppered throughout, Manners’ fresh, distinctive voice makes it certain you’ve never seen a journey quite like this.
Extra Geography centers on Minna (Marni Duggan) and Flic (Galaxie Clear), best friends at an all-girls English boarding school. The two know each other inside and out and do absolutely everything together, from playing on the lacrosse team to being lab partners in chemistry. Every summer, they decide to take on a special project, and though initially at a loss about what to embark on this time around, they decide their next mission will be to fall in love so they may become more worldly. Leaving the object of their affection up to chance, fate chooses their geography teacher — the young and awkward, albeit attractive and caring, Miss Delavigne (Alice Englert).
Of course, young love — even if initially forced and fabricated — is never that simple, especially when real emotions get involved, and it’s set against the backdrop of A Midsummer Night’s Dream. The school play introduces a whole new set of challenges when boys from another school are brought in to act alongside the duo and their hormone-ridden classmates. This new forbidden temptation, combined with the race to woo Miss Delavigne and the intense, potentially unrequited feelings between Minna and Flic themselves, makes for messy romantic entanglements that rival Shakespeare’s ensembles.
The strongest aspect of the film is undoubtedly Molly Manners’ stunning direction. As quite literally the first movie I watched in 2026, Extra Geography sets a high bar for the rest of the year, establishing a standard I already know is going to be incredibly difficult to live up to. Right from the opening credits, every shot is intentional and packed with detail, giving us valuable insights into the characters and setting. One of my favorites comes towards the beginning when Manners focuses on Minna and Flic’s legs in all their bruised, scabbed, hairy glory — a simple moment that oozes authenticity.
There’s been much discussion about the female gaze in recent years, and Manners captures a specific subgenre of that, nailing what I’d like to deem the girlhood gaze. A certain brand of longing characterizes young teenagers like Minna and Flic — the kind that’s confusing and all-consuming, rife with both obsessive passion and crippling anxiety. Manners carefully builds so much tension between all of the dynamics that by the time they intersect in climactic scenes, you’ll feel more like you’re watching a thriller than a coming-of-age dramedy.
Cinematographer Andrew Commis and colorist Simone Grattarola deserve their flowers as well, contributing to the fact that every frame looks like a painting. The aesthetics are reminiscent of another recent boarding school movie in The Holdovers, combined with the rich, charming style of a Wes Anderson film.
Marni Duggan and Galaxie Clear Are Two Young Actors To Watch
There’s a lot to like about Miriam Battye’s script, based on a short story by Rose Tremain. The screenplay juggles quite a few subplots, but they all serve to develop new layers and complications to the dynamic between Flic and Minna, and the film smartly never loses sight of the fact that they’re the beating heart of the story. The dialogue can occasionally fall into overly quirky territory, which gets grating fast, but it’s undercut with enough raw, genuine emotion that it’s never too exhausting. The ending, however, veers too far in the other direction, breaking the whimsical tone in a way that’s not altogether satisfying. Then again, perhaps that’s the point — as you grow up, you realize you don’t always get the catharsis of closure.
The most admirable aspect of Battye’s writing — as well as Duggan and Clear’s performances — is fearlessness. In a world where being “unlikeable” is the worst thing a female character can possibly be, Minna and Flic are deliciously, unabashedly flawed. Toggling between crippling insecurity and delusional confidence, self-loathing and self-centeredness, they’re full of contradictions inherent to adolescence. The film doesn’t let them off the hook for their actions — ones that can be downright cruel at times — but it never judges them for them either. This is a movie that takes its teen girls seriously, treating them with a nuance they’re rarely afforded. They elicit frustration and empathy in equal measure.
Duggan and Clear play off each other expertly, acting as both foils and mirrors who are simultaneously codependent and competitive. The grass is always greener, after all, on someone else’s side of the fence — or in this case, dormitory. (The repeated shots of their twin beds, complete with patterned comforters, make for other memorable visuals.) Flic is jealous of how everything seems to come so easily for Minna with extracurriculars and her peers, while Minna envies the way Flic naturally commands her studies and attention from those in positions of authority. This leads to them attempting to one-up each other and get things they think they’re supposed to want instead of going after what they actually desire. At the end of the day, what they crave above all else is belonging and importance, trying to walk the tightrope of fitting in while standing out as exceptional.
There’s a fierce intensity to Duggan’s performance that acts as the story’s engine — the angsty driving force juxtaposed with Clear’s light and effortless magnetism. Their chemistry is electric, allowing them to oscillate between friend and foe and seamlessly blur the line between the two. The fact that this is both of their first credits is truly impressive, and I have a good feeling this will be far from their last.
Extra Geography may be set in the present day, but there’s a nostalgia that permeates throughout the hour and a half runtime — not in the cheap hacky way that many movies fall into the trap of, but the kind that transports you back to your youth. The setup is deceptively simple, with an array of complex themes simmering under its appealing surface. With bold narrative choices enhanced by immersive cinematography and confident direction anchored by powerful breakthrough performances, Molly Manners’ directorial debut is a compelling showcase of emerging talent.
Extra Geography had its world premiere at the 2026 Sundance Film Festival.
- Release Date
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January 23, 2026
- Runtime
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94 minutes
- Director
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Molly Manners
- Writers
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Miriam Battye
- Producers
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Sarah Brocklehurst
Cast
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Iyla Sundarsingh McKaig
Uncredited
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- Molly Manners? excellent direction, combined with Andrew Commis? stunning cinematography, makes the film aesthetically beautiful.
- Manner captures the specific vibes of girlhood.
- Marni Duggan and Galaxie Clear have great chemistry and give powerful breakout performances.
- The dialogue can feel a bit overly quirky.
- The ending isn?t completely satisfying.
