The subject manner of this film might make some potential viewers shy away but I can honestly say that this not only isn't exploitative but is handled in a delicate manner and may be the best film ever about an older man laying a trap for a young girl. Story is about Meg (Agnes Bruckner) a teenage girl from a broken family and living with her strict and neglectful mother Diane (Margaret Colin) and younger sister Lily (Regan Arnold) and Meg loves to write poems. Her English teacher Mr. Auster (David Strathairn) compliments her on her poem "Blue Car" and tells her to enter the poetry contest that will be held in Florida. Lily is emotionally unstable and lands in the hospital and Meg discovers that she can talk honestly with her teacher and they develop a strong relationship that makes both of them uncomfortable.
*****SPOILER ALERT*****
Lily dies in the hospital and this leads to a very bad argument between Meg and her mother and Meg ends up leaving the house and living with a friend. Meg scrounges up enough money to take a bus to Florida for the poetry contest and to be near Mr. Auster and when things seem to be getting more intimate Meg learns the horrible truth about him and that everything he has been saying and doing was just a lie including his co-called novel that he carries around with him.
This film is written and directed by Karen Moncrieff who is making her feature film debut and the manner in which she tells this story is so well handled that you can make a case that this should be mandatory viewing for parents. Moncrieff shows good patience in allowing the story to slowly unfold and each character is realistically drawn out so that we can understand Meg's loneliness and attraction to her teacher. The performances are exceptional and Strathairn conveys both creepiness and complexity in his role and when the film ends you cannot help but think back to how his character carefully laid his trap. As good has Strathairn is the film is also a showcase for young Bruckner who shows remarkable poise and her performance is pivotal to this film. She really doesn't have any out loud emotional scenes in the film but instead the power of her performance comes from her quietness and vulnerability. Bruckner is an extremely talented young actress and it will be exciting to watch her career blossom. Moncrieff in her own patient style has made a powerful film about a disturbing subject and she along with the actors deserve all the praise that's handed to them.
*****SPOILER ALERT*****
Lily dies in the hospital and this leads to a very bad argument between Meg and her mother and Meg ends up leaving the house and living with a friend. Meg scrounges up enough money to take a bus to Florida for the poetry contest and to be near Mr. Auster and when things seem to be getting more intimate Meg learns the horrible truth about him and that everything he has been saying and doing was just a lie including his co-called novel that he carries around with him.
This film is written and directed by Karen Moncrieff who is making her feature film debut and the manner in which she tells this story is so well handled that you can make a case that this should be mandatory viewing for parents. Moncrieff shows good patience in allowing the story to slowly unfold and each character is realistically drawn out so that we can understand Meg's loneliness and attraction to her teacher. The performances are exceptional and Strathairn conveys both creepiness and complexity in his role and when the film ends you cannot help but think back to how his character carefully laid his trap. As good has Strathairn is the film is also a showcase for young Bruckner who shows remarkable poise and her performance is pivotal to this film. She really doesn't have any out loud emotional scenes in the film but instead the power of her performance comes from her quietness and vulnerability. Bruckner is an extremely talented young actress and it will be exciting to watch her career blossom. Moncrieff in her own patient style has made a powerful film about a disturbing subject and she along with the actors deserve all the praise that's handed to them.