My Girl

It's 1972, and 11-year-old Vada (Chlumsky) lives with her dotty granny and widowed mortician father (Aykroyd) in a house which doubles as a funeral parlour. Daily contact with corpses has produced a very odd child, given to pranks around the caskets, hypochondria and death-obsession, but shy Thomas (Culkin) proves a true and tolerant friend. Their knockabouts won't last forever, though: cosmetologist Shelly (Curtis) arrives to divide Dad's affections, and Vada experiences her first period, a make-up session, and bereavement... Zieff's direction is uninspired, but the film is considerably redeemed by screenwriter Laurice Elehwany's dark humour. Chlumsky gives a lively performance, which is more than can be said for Culkin.