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In many ways, Sophie Jones (Jessica Barr) is a regular teenage girl. She Iikes driving around while playing loud music, she’s not super hyped about school, she struggles to bond with her family, and she’s more than a little boy crazy. But underneath Sophie’s seemingly normal trappings simmers a deep grief: the first time we see her on screen in “Sophie Jones,” she’s burying her nose in her dead mother’s clothes and running her hands through her ashes. Written by both Barrs, “Sophie Jones” tackles a tough two-fer: dramatizing the usual pains of high school, coupled with a pervasive grief that Sophie just can’t shake.

Opening soon after the death of Sophie’s mother, the teenager reasons that she’s coping well enough, at least she’s not cutting herself or drinking or taking drugs. Instead, however, Sophie has turned her attention to the...

Navigating the precarious aspects of growing up while simultaneously buried deep in the throes of grief is one young woman’s struggle in director Jessie Barr’s “Sophie Jones.” This meaningful drama, co-written and starring Barr’s cousin Jessica, taps into the immediacy of being a teenager and the intimacy of sorrow, yielding astute insights. The pair set their story during the fertile period in a maturing teen’s life when hormones and complex emotions run roughshod. With Nicole Holofcener on board as executive producer, it’s a poignant exploration of this arduous age, rooted in staggering authenticity.

Sixteen-year-old Sophie (Jessica Barr) has been reeling since the recent death of her mother. The absence is achingly painful as Sophie scours Mom’s closet for any tangible remnant, any reminder, from smelling her clothes to sorting through her ashes. Sophie’s father Aaron (Dave Roberts) and younger sister Lucy (Charlie Jackson...

"Death is weird." Oscilloscope Labs has revealed an official trailer for the indie coming-of-age drama titled Sophie Jones, marking the feature directorial debut of filmmaker Jessie Barr. This premiered at a few film festivals last year, and it's getting a virtual release coming up soon in March. Inspired by true experiences of grief, girlhood, and growing up, Sophie Jones provides a stirring portrait of a 16-year old trying to figure out life. "Stunned by the untimely death of her mother and struggling with the myriad challenges of teendom, Sophie tries everything she can to feel something again, while holding herself together, in this sensitive, acutely realized, and utterly relatable coming-of-age story." Starring Jessica Barr as Sophie, with Skyler Verity, Claire Manning, Charlie Jackson, and Dave Roberts. This looks like a worthwhile indie gem. Here's the first official trailer (+ poster) for Jessie Barr's Sophie Jones, direct from YouTube: Inspired by true experiences of grief,...

In a year that was completely batshit crazy and unpredictable, we still had quite a few solid films find their way to film festivals (often digital) even when the film industry seemed to completely shut down. And one of our favorite festival films from last year, the under-the-radar gem, “Sophie Jones,” is finally making its way to theaters and VOD, giving film fans the opportunity to discover one of the best indie coming-of-age films in recent memory.

Continue reading ‘Sophie Jones’ Trailer: A Teen Girl Deals With The Loss Of Her Mom In This Coming-Of-Age Indie Standout at The Playlist.

“Sophie Jones” opens on its titular protagonist, played by Jessica Barr, as she fiddles with a bag of cremated remains. She rubs the ashes between her fingers, revealing a piece of fragmented bone which she raises experimentally to her mouth to taste. Bad idea. She spits it out and puts it back in the bag.

Such is the dark, charming nature of this coming-of-age film, directed by first-timer Jessie Barr (Jessica’s cousin), co-written by the star and director, and executive produced by Nicole Holofcener.

Continue reading ‘Sophie Jones’ Is Indie Coming-Of-Age At Its Best [Review] at The Playlist.