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B+ |
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Terrifyingly powerful.
by doug (movies profile)
Jun 23, 2008
110
of
140 people found this review helpful
There's really two ways to view this movie - either as a) a frustrated, rebellious teenager who wants to see an R-rated afterschool special, or b) a terrified parent who will leave this film committed to locking your child's bedroom door for eternity. The film, about a 13-year-old girl who turns to life's vices after enduring adolescence with a dysfunctional, alcholic mom and nonexistent dad, is stronger on the acting front than the plotline. The press release reads that the film was actually written by a teenager, and at times it feels that way - amidst the painful self-destruction, you find one-dimensional characters (the messed-up mom, the deadbeat dad, the good brother) and a relatively straightforward girl-gone-bad, learns-lesson-comes-clean story that we've all heard before. however, it's the acting and the little details that only teenagers notice that make this film ultimately a winner. holly hunter is terrific, and the kids are all stars in the making, while the little things that adults can't understand, like why it's such a big deal to have the right clothes, or the attraction of self-mutilation, or the tremendous peer pressures, make this story feel real and bring the pain that much closer. |
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