God Help the Girl is a 2014 British musical romantic drama film written and directed by Stuart Murdoch of the band Belle and Sebastian. It follows three friends who form a band in Glasgow. The film was preceded by an album of the same name released in 2009. It received mixed reviews. Plot Eve escapes from the psychiatric hospital where she is being treated for anorexia nervosa and makes her way to Glasgow, hoping to become a musician. At a gig, she meets James, a lifeguard and aspiring songwriter. He introduces her to his guitar student Cassie, and the three become friends. Eve meets Anton, the arrogant singer of a Glasgow band attracting attention from a local radio station. She gives him a tape of her music to pass on and they begin seeing each other. James convinces Eve she needs bass and drums to finish her songs. They and Cassie form a band, God Help the Girl, with some local musicians. Anton admits he never gave Eve's tape to the radio producers, saying she needs better production and musicianship, and they argue. James discovers Eve's relationship with Anton and becomes distanced from her. Feeling alone, Eve takes drugs and returns to hospital. She tells James she plans to attend music college in London, and they reconcile. After God Help the Girl performs their final concert, the radio station plays Eve's tape. The next day, she leaves for London. Cast Emily Browning as Eve Olly Alexander as James Hannah Murray as Cassie Pierre Boulanger as Anton Release God Help the Girl premiered in-competition in the "World Cinema Dramatic Competition" at the 2014 Sundance Film Festival on 18 January 2014. It opened the Generations section at the 64th Berlin International Film Festival on 9 February 2014. After its premiere at the Sundance Film Festival, Amplify acquired the distribution rights of the film. It was released theatrically and video-on-demand on 5 September 2014 in the United States. Reception God Help the Girl received mixed reviews. Review aggregator Rotten Tomatoes reports a 67% approval rating based on 76 reviews, with an average score of 5.69/10. The site's consensus reads: "While it may strike harder-hearted viewers as excessively twee, God Help the Girl floats by on its sweet charm and talented cast." Dennis Harvey of Variety wrote that God Help the Girl "is a slender exercise in self-conscious charm". David Fear of Esquire praised