Despite controversial subject matter and negative critical reviews, the film “Miller’s Girl,” starring Jenna Ortega and Martin Freeman, has surged to No. 2 on the U.S. Netflix charts. The movie, about a high school student and her teacher who enter a complicated relationship with a significant age gap, has faced backlash for its intimate scenes. However, Freeman defended the film, stating that it is not endorsing such relationships and is meant to be a “grown-up and nuanced” exploration of complex dynamics.
Critics, on the other hand, have not been impressed with the film, giving it a low 29% score on Rotten Tomatoes. Some reviewers have criticized the portrayal of the age gap relationship, calling it “icky” and out of touch with modern sensibilities. The timing of the film’s release, as it predates the #MeToo movement, also adds to the negative reception. Some critics have pointed to a similar film, “May December,” which has been praised for its handling of a teacher-student relationship, as a more successful approach to the controversial subject matter.
A surprising development related to the film is the adjustment of guidelines for intimacy coordinators by SAG-AFTRA following a controversial interview where it was claimed that Ortega was comfortable filming intimate scenes. The new guidelines now prevent intimacy coordinators from speaking about an actor’s experiences in sensitive scenes without their consent. While this change did not specifically reference “Miller’s Girl,” the timing has led to speculation that the film may have influenced the new protocols.
“Miller’s Girl” premiered at the Palm Springs film festival before its theatrical release and subsequent debut on Netflix. The film’s box office performance was modest, grossing just over $1 million. The story follows Ortega’s character, who takes an English class taught by Freeman and writes about a student-teacher affair for her Yale admissions essay, mirroring her own developing relationship with her teacher. The controversies surrounding the film have sparked debate about the portrayal of taboo relationships in media and the role of intimacy coordinators in ensuring the well-being of actors during sensitive scenes.
