Tag: coming of age

FLOWER – Review

(l-r) Dylan Gelula as Kala, Zoey Deutch as Erica, and Maya Eshet as Claudine, in Max Winkler’s FLOWER. Photo courtesy of The Orchard.

Director Max Winkler takes the “troubled teen” concept of REBEL WITHOUT A CAUSE and refreshes it by casting a 17-year-old girl as the teen. FLOWER is a film that at first looks like a trashy “bad girl” tale takes an unexpected detour into fresh territory, becoming an unexpected and affecting mix of dark humor and human drama leading to self-discovery and a satisfying end.

Director Max Winkler (CEREMONY) took any unusual approach with what had been considered an un-producible script by young adult author Alex McAuley. The director re-worked the script with co-writer Matt Spicer (INGRID GOES WEST) then hired as many women as he could for his film crew, including director of photography Carolina Costa, and actually actively listened to them, along with his lead actress Zoey Deutch (BEFORE I FALL), about the character and the story. The goal was to inject as much authenticity into the characters and story as possible.

By trusting that women would know more about the inner life of a 17-year-old girl than a man would, Winkler was able to transform the script and character, so that what could have been a sleazy “bad girl” film is transformed into a much more interesting, entertaining film with a complex lead character and richer, more human coming-of-age tale.

Upbeat, outgoing California teen Erica Vandross (Zoey Deutch) looks like a fresh-faced innocent with her long blonde hair, jeans and Timberlands but she is a kind of female version of a juvenile delinquent. We first meet her as she and her two buddies Kala (Dylan Gelula) and Claudine (Maya Eshet) secretly video a local cop in a compromising position with Erica. After taunting the cop as a sexual predator and threatening to release the video, they tell him they will accept money for their silence.

It looks like a well-practiced routine. The girls see themselves as sort of crusaders against sexual predators but really it is just extortion. While the other girls quickly revert to typical teens, giggling and talking spending their money at the mall, Erica never spends her hers, because she is saving it for a special project. Instead she goes home, records her “earnings” on her laptop, and then listens to music in her room and plays with her pet rat.

Erica lives with her single mom Laurie (Kathryn Hahn), who raised her after her dad left. Nonetheless, Erica adores her dad, a small-time criminal who is in prison awaiting trial. Erica barely tolerates her mom’s new boyfriend Bob (Tim Heidecker) and is unhappy to learn Bob’s mentally unstable teen-aged son Luke (Joey Morgan), who is being released from rehab, is coming to live with them. Hoping that at least her new “stepbrother” will be hot, Erica is disappointed to find Luke is painfully shy and overweight. Still, Erica hatches a plan to get revenge on a teacher (Adam Scott) who reportedly molested Luke.

Mother and daughter are close but it is a dysfunctional relationship in which strong-willed Erica has the real power. Yet despite the confident, rebellious facade Erica presents to the world, she is still a child underneath, with all the insecurities of adolescence. Erica is smart, charismatic and self-confident but she is headed down the same criminal path as the father she loves. There is nothing in the modest way she dresses that suggests this but Erica prides herself on being an expert at oral sex, although she does not see it as sex. She has no problem using it to shake down men is public positions like the cop, or at any other time, since it has no meaning for her.

A lot of credit has to go to the talented Zoey Deutch, who manages to make Erica someone we care about, even like, despite her troubled exterior. Deutch skillfully conveys the insecurities and inner conflicts of this girl beneath her self-confident surface, and manages to touch the hearts of viewers.

As the film unfolds, Erica’s dysfunctional approach to life is transformed and she gains insights on herself and others. When Erica first meets Luke, she is rude to him. Likewise, the audience’s first impression of Luke is off-putting. But as Morgan, who also delivers a surprisingly strong performance, and Deutch develop their characters and their relationship evolves, an unexpected flowering happens, taking the film is unexpected but satisfying directions.

Despite Zoey Deutch’s affecting performance, audience members may be put off by Erica’s unsavory behavior, at least initially, even though we have seen equally troubled young male characters at the center countless films. Erica is no role model and parents might keep that in mind. FLOWER is more a film about teens for adults than teen movie.

FLOWER is a film that rewards audiences who do not take its lead character at face value but give in to Zoey Deutch’s charm and let her character grow up throughout the film. Zoey Deutch creates a compelling, ultimately touching lead character and the film is a strong portrait of the perils of coming-of-age for young women. Director Max Winkler’s decision to hire women and then listen to their input on this character is what transforms this tale into the refreshing and surprising film it is, a welcome break from ordinary.

FLOWER opens in St. Louis on Friday, March 30, at Landmark’s Tivoli Theater.

RATING: 4 out of 5 stars

A BIRDER’S GUIDE TO EVERYTHING – The Review

birders_image

Birds are fascinating creatures. This is true, but most people take birds for granted, so many of them flying about overhead. Birds are everywhere, and as creepy as that thought may be to some, they are always watching over us, constant spectators of the human experience below. Her on planet Earth, we go though life struggling primarily to answer two questions… who am i and what should I do with this life i have?

It’s no wonder there are some drawn in by a fascination for these feathered friends of ours. Those who watch, track and seek out birds of all species are generally referred to as “birders.” The term’s definition may be argued by some, including those in the film A BIRDER’S GUIDE TO EVERYTHING. Directed and co-written by Rob Meyer, this film is a coming of age story about an awkward 15-year old boy named David Portnoy.

David, played by Kodi Smit-McPhee, is grieving the loss of his mother, even as his father Donald plans his upcoming marriage to Juliana. David struggles with this rapid change in his family life. As a way to distract himself, and perhaps feel closer to his late mother, David takes up birding with two fellow enthusiasts at his school. David’s mother was a birder and accomplished researcher in the field and David shows a compelling level of knowledge and passion for the hobby in general.

A BIRDER’S GUIDE TO EVERYTHING is not about birds. Yes, the film contains many references to birds, jokes about birds, even bird metaphors, but the film is about David dealing with his teenage emotions regarding loss, love and growing up. Donald, played by James Le Gros, is understanding and patient at first, but as his wedding approaches he becomes less tolerant of David’s birding ways. Juliana, played by Daniela Lavender, was the nurse who cared for David’s dying mother. Despite her caring, warm spirit and genuine love for Donald and David, this fact clearly makes the situation that more unnerving and difficult to grapple with for David.

David’s journey of self-discovery begins, by chance, as he spots what he believes to be an extinct species of duck. Having snapped a blurry photo f the mystery bird, David seeks the opinion of renowned birder Lawrence Konrad, played by veteran actor Sir Ben Kingsley. David then enlists the help of his small school birding club to find the elusive bird and make what could be the greatest birding find of his generation. Along with his two nerdy birding companions, of whom have equivalent social personalities of Sheldon and Howard from The Big Bang Theory, they reluctantly allow Ellen, a student photographer, to accompany in exchange for the use of her telephoto lens.

Ellen, played by Katie Chang, clearly has an interest in David early on, but it takes some time and circumstances for David’s eyes to open and for the teenage hormones to kick in, despite Ellen’s thinly veiled, but equally awkward efforts to test the terrain. Together, the four adventurers head out into the Connecticut woods from New York in an older teenager’s “borrowed” convertible. Some mishaps occur on the way, but the journey allows for the viewer to get a strong sense of what David is going through, internally and with those around him. Chang’s mellow, almost neutral performance compliments Smit-McPhee’s uneasiness. Chang gives Ellen a nerdy, but confident worldly edge which plays well against, and ultimately alongside the textbook skinny, socially awkward David.

As usual, Ben Kingsley is a joy to watch. Invoking his trademark vocal traits and mannerisms, Kingsley lends a role model type figure to David’s story. This is crucial, especially since his father is preoccupied with his upcoming wedding. A BIRDER’S GUIDE TO EVERYTHING feels a bit like STAND BY ME, only nerdier, and without a dead body. One thing the film succeeds at is showcasing the birding hobby as a storytelling device, much in the way THE BIG YEAR did, starring Jack Black and Steve Martin, except with a more intimate, realistic approach that allows the film to feel more dramatically accurate, whereas THE BIG YEAR just felt like a vehicle for blockbuster comedy.

The small, independent spirit of A BIRDER’S GUIDE TO EVERYTHING carries a lot of weight for the film as the script is lacking in areas. Some of the more emotional moments in the story fall a little flat, perhaps partially due to a mostly young cast, but writing is always where these issues begin. Visually, the film does not feel amateurish and the film is accompanied by an equally enjoyable soundtrack, which also conveys a similar independent spirit. This independent spirit is another character trait of David’s, and perhaps what makes his story so intriguing.

A BIRDER’S GUIDE TO EVERYTHING does not break any boundaries. It does not redefine any genres, nor is cause for any controversy. The film is simply a pleasant exploration of a boy’s journey from innocence to an opening of himself to what can be, what will be and what is most important in life.

A BIRDER’S GUIDE TO EVERYTHING is currently available on Video On Demand and in Theaters beginning Friday, March 21st, 2014.

Overall Rating: 3 out of 5 Stars

birders_poster