I first saw this movie in the spring of 2004, one month before a planned month long camping excursion of Nova Scotia. I had never seen such a dark, depressing place as New Waterford - not even realizing until the credits rolled that this film was shot in New Waterford, a mining town on the northeast edge of Cape Breton Island. In every shot, the sky was deeply overcast. The houses looked like cracker-boxes, in funny colors and in bad need of upkeep. The automobiles were all several years old. It was gloomy and depressing!! But, guess what? This was a movie about a 15 year old native of New Waterford who was trying every trick she knew to get out. No wonder, since it was such a terrible-looking place. She would hitchhike holding a sign saying "Mexico" on it. Her dream was to move to New York City to attend school. Liane Balaban played this girl, named Moonie Pottie. She was a cross between a young Winona Ryder and Johnny Depp. She has a great future in film. She meets a Lou Benzoa, an 18 year old blond from New York City who is staying in New Waterford with her mother. Lou is played admirably by Tara Spencer-Nairn, and her best attribute besides her sexy blond looks is the ability to knock out with one blow any man who lies about getting a girl pregnant. Without divulging too much plot,Moonie decides getting "pregnant" will be her ticket out of New Waterford. Every character in this film does their job well, and the overall effect is a dark comedy set in one of the darkest, dingiest, most back-water places you have ever seen. I came close to canceling my trip to Nova Scotia because of this film, but didn't. One day, I detoured up to New Waterford just to check it out. The sun was shining, but the town is on a bluff over the ocean and the houses are for the most part exactly as seen in the film. See this movie and then go to Nova Scotia - one of the friendliest and most beautiful places on this earth!
Review of New Waterford Girl
