‘Edie Arnold is a killer’ review: Think ‘Juno’ with punk rock and Catholic guilt
Film festivals are a rich world of great cinematic discoveries, and among the best and most exciting discoveries of SXSW 2026 Edie Arnold is a great host. Megan Rico and Kade Atwood’s directorial debut, this coming-of-age comedy is as funny as it is chaotic and demonic.
Love June, This new and funny film centers on a high school weirdo who treads an unconventional path to find his happiness. Now, Edie Arnold (Adi Madden Cabrera) doesn’t get preggo out of wedlock. Sure, the abusive nuns at her all-girls Catholic school see Edie as a failed delinquent, but she doesn’t drink, and celibacy is the only extracurricular activity she excels at — though not by choice. Like her classmates, she lusts after the only boy in their lane, altar boy Walter Boyd (Lucas Van Orden), described by Edie’s friends as “Jesus’ hot little brother, who was too hot to die. But to her, he’s invisible… until he just started a punk band called The Nundead.”
And so begins a wild onslaught of self-discovery, friendship, blind flirting, and punk rock.
Edie Arnold is a great host you intelligently explore your identity through crushing.
Credit: Courtesy of Infigo Films
Right out of the gate, director/screenwriter Megan Rico puts a strong stamp on her upcoming comedy, as does Diablo Cody in June. It’s not that Edie and her peers speak with the verbal panache and catchy sarcasm of Juno and her peers. That Edie and her best friend Frances (a brilliantly broad McKenna Tuckett) are strangely irreverent in their evil rebellion. When a new nun named Sister Sheena (Luseane Pasa) tries to get the girl’s choir in good shape, Frances and Edie get a chance to act out violent acting. They tell themselves that they are removing eyeballs or being anointed, which means that it is less painful than the playing of the organ and the beating of this ungodly choir. Rico and Atwood add a little blue to this scene by writing over the sculptures that show blood, drops, arrows, and shocks of electricity, emphasizing the arrogance of these irrepressible girls.
The nuns in charge of the school want these girls to be polite, respectful and obedient. Edie’s dutiful mother (Cherish Rodriguez), who always wants to impress, begs her endlessly to be feminine and gentle. Then there’s the cruel queen bee Kati Vidal (Alana Mei Kern), who relishes every opportunity to embarrass Edie, like when Kati ties tampons to Edie’s hair without her knowledge. (“I got tamped!” Edie moans during lunch with her four unfulfilled, destined-to-be-Nundead friends.) But whatever new hell comes up, Frances – whose ferocious garb matches her pained powers – has found her. Together, they sneak out to a local punk show, where Edie makes a surprise appearance, leading the girls to form a band and bring a cute little punk named Iggy (Gabe Root) into their lane.
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While Frances is dedicated to raising hell and having fun, Edie is faced with the question of who she will choose to be. Two different approaches are presented by two very different guys. One is Walter Boyd, who seems religious and decent, but who secretly sips communion wine and has holier-than-thou views about sex. Another is Iggy, who has a punk aesthetic that might scare Edie’s mom, but a punk soul that reflects her own. However, Edie Arnold is a great host it’s not really about boys. It’s about girls, who write wild songs with lyrics like, “Cannibalize your king and savior. Eat me! Eat me!
Edie Arnold is a great host a friend’s catchy joke.
Credit: Courtesy of Infigo Films
Since I hadn’t failed at a Catholic high school myself, it was easy to see myself in Edie (even if I was never cool enough to start a band or learn the drums). Cabrera perfectly supports Edie’s youthful angst, petty rebellion, and desperate longing for such a life. But he’s at his best when he and Tuckett are happily fighting.
What’s often overlooked in movies about your sister is the inside joke you can pull on girls who know better than your blood. So whether Edie and Frances are joking or fighting, it’s crystal clear what they mean to each other. And yes, even when an angry Frances develops a diss track about Edie, the love is clear, the loyalty unquestionable.
Cabrera handles this tumultuous coming of age story with aplomb. His supporting cast shines with an array of fools, bitches, and bozos (save for the truly gorgeous Sister). But newcomer McKenna Tuckett is the standout. As Frances, she exudes a mischievous energy, reminiscent of Beanie Feldstein’s enthusiastic theater kid Miss Bird or cocky Jack Black in High Reliability. Frances doesn’t give a fuck about being cool; dressed like the horns of a bull, a threat to those who do not know that he is confused. He’s a stunner who pushes Edie when she needs a good push (be it on stage or standing in front of her mom). And together, has a date for Romy and Michelle, in that their movie may have subplot boys and crushes, but in the end, it is about their bond. And a strange, beautiful, and divine way.
Simply put, this upcoming indie comedy is hilarious. Edie Arnold is a great host it’s offensive, touching, and really funny. Look at it, and embrace your inner loser.
Edie Arnold is a great host reviewed at the 2026 SXSW Film Festival.
