Fairyland

After her mother’s sudden death, Fairyland follows five-year-old Alysia (Nessa Dougherty, later played by Emilia Jones) as she starts a new life in San Francisco in the 1970s with her father, Steve (Scoot McNairy). In addition to pursuing his lifelong passion of becoming a writer, Steve uses the move as an opportunity to embrace his sexuality, even if his newfound Bohemian lifestyle often comes before his daughter. Based on Alysia Abbott’s memoir of the same name, director Andrew Durham tentatively explores the father-daughter relationship in his tender feature debut as the queer rights movement marches on in the background.

The events of Alysia’s life play out like a collage of memories, spanning from her time living with a group of free-spirited artists when she first arrived in the city, through to her early adulthood. Durham succeeds tremendously in finding the humanity in every moment of Abbott’s life that’s depicted on screen. Whether it’s spending the day at the park, becoming lost after getting off the bus at the wrong stop, or finally learning how to ride a bike as a student living in Paris, the humour, joy, or pain that each moment carries gradually adds to the complexity of the pair’s relationship.

Adding to the emotional weight are the performances from the core cast. Dougherty is a remarkable talent who brings so much energy and heart as a young Alysia begins to understand her situation and the prejudice that comes with it. Jones is equally magnificent when she takes the baton. As Alysia enters her college years, viewers watch her angsty rebellion towards her father evolve into a mature relationship. However, it’s McNairy’s wonderfully layered portrayal of Steve that stands out as the notable highlight. Despite having some selfish traits, there’s no doubt that Steve loves his daughter. He’s someone who’s at odds with himself, and McNairy nails every beat.

The feature also acts as a time capsule of San Francisco’s queer scene during the 70s and 80s, with mentions of Harvey Milk’s assassination and the first official Pride parade marking major historic milestones. As the AIDS pandemic enters the narrative, the feature takes a sombre turn before arriving at its moving conclusion.

Though occasionally skirting sentimental melodrama, Durham has crafted an affectionate and unflinchingly human portrait of family with Fairyland. Holding everything together are breathtaking turns from Jones and McNairy.