Right now, Succession is creating shock waves across the world with its fourth and final season. The Roy family and company are steadily becoming part of our routines as we sit down for Succession Sundays, and in this season, we are getting to know the beloved characters closer than we ever have before. This also includes tech billionaire and CEO Lukas Matsson who is played by the talented Alexander Skarsgård. In some of the most recent episodes, we are learning more about the creepy manipulations of Matsson, perfectly encapsulated in his idea of a joke; sending bags of blood to his ex-lovers.
In last night's episode, "Tailgate Party," Matsson crashes Roy's pre-election day party. He is currently in cahoots with Shiv (Sarah Snook), who clues him into the Roy's affairs, only for him to be revealed in the end as equally deceiving and slippery as her brothers. In this episode, his relationship with Ebba (Eli Harboe), his communication officer who is "terrified of communicating," is expanded, and we watch his demeaning attitude towards her which highlights his manipulative persona. Their history together and the sending of "whatnots" as Roman (Kieran Culkin) puts it, creates a strange power dynamic between them where Matsson cannot let her go although continues to treat her horribly both behind closed doors and in front of crowds. At the same time, the reliance that exists between Matsson and Shiv is an endearing insight into the other side of him, and their alliance is no doubt an exciting development. Matsson's characterization is a different take on the plethora of unorthodox personalities of the Succession world — and if you love it, you need to check out The Diary Of A Teenage Girl.
What Is 'The Diary of a Teenage Girl' About?
The Diary Of A Teenage Girl, directed by writer Marielle Heller, is an indie film that follows blossoming teen Minnie Goetz (Bel Powley) who forms a sexual relationship with her mother's (Kristen Wiig) boyfriend Monroe, played by Skarsgård. The premise alone sets the stage for pre-notions of specifically Skarsgard's character as well as a discussion of difficult subjects of predatory behaviour and teenage sexuality. However, upon viewing the film, it manages to surprise us in ways we would never expect. Like Skarsgard's performance in Succession, he is able to make even the most manipulative and creepy personalities quite likable and not only shows his great depth as an actor but creates for a unique and entertaining viewing experience.
Minnie is on an exploration of her sexuality as she recollects her experiences on a voice recorder (which her mother is bound to find) and it is clear that the film itself isn't victimizing Minnie in any way. On the flip side, Monroe isn't exactly the typical gross predator we could imagine from the synopsis. Instead, through Skarsgård's performance we are actually encouraged to think differently through Minnie's perspective and recognize Monroe as a fully rounded and multifaceted human being. They neglect to reduce him to the villain, and rather highlight the complex nature of this particular situation that makes even the audience question their preconceived notions of the film.
'The Diary of a Teenage Girl' Never Does What You Would Expect
The film opens by introducing us to Minnie — and she had sex today. Minnie is a cartoonist and is a self-proclaimed ugly child, so when Monroe becomes attracted to her "youthfulness," she runs with it. Because Minnie reflects on her experiences on her tape recorder, we get a deeper insight into her thoughts and considerations throughout the film. She knows what she wants and isn't afraid to go after it either — with Monroe or anyone else. However, what reminds us of Minnie's youth is that she actually isn't self-aware at all. Regardless of the simple fact that Monroe is 20 years her senior, him being her mother's boyfriend is never a point of contention for her. When she divulges this information to her best friend, Kimmie (Madeleine Waters), she exclaims that she thinks it's sick, and tells her "he sleeps with your mom." Minnie harbors this skewed ideology that his relationship with her mother is really a front to get closer to her and actually begins to view her mother in a competitive light rather than realizing the gravity and betrayal of her own actions.
Skarsgård's character on paper would seem cunning and manipulative (as is Matsson in Succession) and whilst on film it would still be argued that he is all those things and more, Skarsgård allows for a further inspection of the character. Monroe is attractive, but the most attractive thing about him for Minnie is that he actually wants to have sex with her! Throughout the film, we learn that Monroe is multifaceted and through Skarsgård's great performance, we for a second see him through the eyes of Minnie herself. He has this juvenile aspect to him, though he is not immature enough to think what he is doing is right. Just about midway through the film Monroe attempts to end things with her, but he has no self-control and then as the film progresses it feels almost as though he becomes more invested in this relationship than Minnie is. The analysis that Minnie is not the victim in this film is clear by the end, as she maintains a goal of sex but is unfulfilled by Monroe as a person. Throughout, she does question if she loves him or not — sometimes the conclusion is yes and sometimes no, but in the end, it is obvious that there is an emotional disconnect for her.
'The Diary Of A Teenage Girl' Is Not Just About Monroe
Of course, The Diary Of A Teenage Girl is about the complicated relationship between Minnie and Monroe. However, it is really about Minnie herself and her mother. It is an inspection of female sexual autonomy and the mother-daughter dynamic, and whilst Monroe is a significant part of the story, he is no more than an object of desire for both Minnie and her mother. A large portion of the film actually delves into Minnie's journey as a cartoonist and forming a dialogue with her role model, introducing unique animated moments throughout the film. This is powerful, as in many other coming-of-age films that tackle similar themes of sex and validation as The Diary Of A Teenage Girl does, this film tells the audience that there is more to life than men and that you don't need a man to be happy.
Women can like sex and want to have sex, whilst navigating other aspects of their life with an equal sense of urgency. We see Minnie as a sexual being, but we also see her as an artist, as a friend and as a daughter. In fact, Minnie's relationship with her mother is one of the most interesting parts of the film. Our hearts break as we watch the inevitable moment in which Minnie's mother discovers the incriminating tapes. We sympathize deeply with her mother, as she feels a simultaneous sense of intense betrayal but also overwhelming love and sadness for her daughter that could become paralyzing.
It's About Minnie and Her Sexual Journey
In the same vein, we witness Minnie's sexual journey outside of Monroe, through her sexual explorations with a boy and a girl of her own age. This only furthers the idea that Monroe doesn't actually eclipse Minnie's sexuality but maybe instead vice versa. Though whilst I maintain that Minnie is no victim, their sexual relationship is entirely not acceptable and cannot exist fundamentally without manipulation from Monroe.
The Diary Of A Teenage Girl is one of those films that you could genuinely discuss forever. The characters are not one-dimensional and cannot be defined simply by what they do — there is no villain or victim. Just like in real life, they are just people experiencing the human condition, and Marielle Heller depicts this entirely without judgment which is difficult and in turn, commendable. It also serves as a reminder of Alexander Skarsgård's acting talents (particularly of the creepy variety) on both the small and big screen.
You can now watch The Diary Of A Teenage Girl on Hulu or Apple TV.