My Girl: Still packs a punch, but some pacing issues

Okay, so I just rewatched "My Girl" (1991). Man, does that ending still get me. I think what really works is the slow burn of Vada and Thomas J.'s friendship. It feels so authentic, and their chemistry is seriously great for child actors. The scene where they're swinging on the tire swing and he's explaining about love…ugh, my heart! I love how the movie subtly weaves in Vada's obsession with death. It's not just some quirky character trait; it's rooted in her family's business and the absence of her mother. The scene where she tries to stop the woman from crying at the funeral is both funny and heartbreaking. Anna Chlumsky really nails the precocious but vulnerable thing. Dan Aykroyd is also surprisingly good as her dad; he brings a quiet sadness to the role. Honestly, I do think the pacing is a little uneven. All the stuff with the English teacher and the poetry class felt a bit tacked on, almost like filler before the inevitable tragedy. I get that it's supposed to show Vada's trying to figure out who she is, but it could've been trimmed down to sharpen the focus on the core relationship. Plus, the bee scene is just...rough. I know it's pivotal, but I always feel a little manipulated by it. Overall, "My Girl" is still a really affecting movie. It's not perfect, and it definitely tugs at the heartstrings, maybe a little too hard, but the performances and the genuine connection between Vada and Thomas J. make it worth watching. It's a solid 7/10 for me, maybe higher if I'm feeling overly sentimental. What do you all think? Did the bee scene hit you as hard as it did me?