‘Girls Like Girls’ Rotten Tomatoes Score Revealed: Did Hayley Kiyoko’s Coming-of-Age Story Win Over Critics?

Hayley Kiyoko’s long-awaited move from music and writing into filmmaking is already getting a positive response from critics. Her new movie, Girls Like Girls, has officially debuted on Rotten Tomatoes with an 86% Tomatometer score based on 14 reviews, suggesting that the coming-of-age romance has connected with many early viewers.

The film is based on Kiyoko’s 2023 book of the same name, which expanded the story from her popular 2015 hit song “Girls Like Girls.” Kiyoko also directed the movie and created new music for the project, bringing her personal connection to the story into her first major feature film.

Set during one unforgettable summer, Girls Like Girls follows Coley, a teenager who moves to a new town and experiences her first love while trying to understand herself. The story focuses on identity, relationships, and the challenges of growing up, especially when emotions and personal fears become difficult to handle.

The movie stars Maya da Costa as Coley, with Myra Molloy playing Sonya. The cast also includes Levon Hawke and Zach Braff. The film is scheduled to arrive in theaters in the United States on June 19.

Early reviews show that critics generally appreciate the movie’s emotional approach and performances, even if some reviewers feel it follows familiar coming-of-age ideas.

Writing for Gay City News, Steve Erickson gave the film a positive review and explained that it takes a different approach to its themes. “It’s not a tale about the difficulty of coming out. The film emanates from a more relaxed place. Despite some hiccups, it earns its chill,” Erickson wrote.

Avi Offer from NYC Movie Guru also praised the movie while pointing out some weaknesses. He described it as “a sweet and tender, but sugar-coated and schmaltzy coming-of-age story that doesn’t break new ground nor is it unflinching enough to be emotionally resonating.”

Other critics highlighted the performances as one of the movie’s biggest strengths. Carla Hay from Culture Mix noted that while some parts of the story feel repetitive, the film delivers strong acting and explores the experiences of two girls dealing with different levels of confidence and openness in their relationship.

Jason Flatt of But Why Tho gave the film a 7/10 score, praising how it handles its characters and audience. “Girls Like Girls is a simple queer coming-of-age story. Yet its performances elevate it while its insistence on empathizing with nearly all of its characters, as well as its audience, elevates the material,” he wrote.

Rendy Jones of Rendy Reviews also viewed the film as an important step for Kiyoko as a filmmaker, giving it 3.5/5 stars. Jones said the movie “marks an effective feature jump for Kiyoko,” highlighting how it captures a meaningful romance for queer teenagers and fans who connected with the original song.

While the reviews suggest Girls Like Girls may not completely reinvent the coming-of-age genre, critics agree that the movie succeeds because of its honesty, performances, and emotional connection. For Kiyoko, the film represents a chance to expand a story that already meant a lot to fans and bring it to a larger audience.

With its strong early Rotten Tomatoes score, Girls Like Girls is shaping up to be a promising debut for Kiyoko behind the camera.

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