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Reviews
New Waterford Girl (1999)
One of the best coming-of-age stories of this generation.
"New Waterford Girl," from director Allan Moyle, is just about as close as one is going to come to perfection in film this year, a harrowing journey of two different girls who band together in a never-changing town of Cape Breton, off the coast of Nova Scotia. Never mind that this film is Canadian released (as well as traveling the festival circuits) and for the moment that you can't find it anywhere else. You will be hearing about it.
This film, set in the 70's, is about teenage angst in a changing world, this case being the demise of small towns, where the world never changes. It takes place in Cape Breton, Nova Scotia and makes the two protagonists very different but with a same goal. One is a sullen, angry 15 year old girl who wants out of her tepid existence in Breton, the other is a tough girl with a sharp attitude and fears no one, a girl who has just moved to the town, and they change each other's lives forever.
The former girl is Mooney Pottie (Liane Balaban), who has her nose in a book when not in school, ignoring everyone around her, even her family, which does not understand, let alone appreciate her. She wants to study art in New York, but her family objects to that idea, instead they want her to stay home and take a nursing job, for example. Things start to change when the girl across the way, Lou Benzoa (Tara Spencer-Nairn) moves in, who left from the Bronx in hiding from her father going to jail; her life can't go on from there. Her mother (Cathy Moriarty) detests it immediately. The scene where Mooney and Lou meet is funny, where all Mooney has to do is point her fingers around and mention "Bar, hospital, main drag, fish warehouse, street. That's the tour." Indeed it is, it only takes a few minutes to drive the entire stretch of the town.
Mooney and Lou eventually do come together and their flaws, dreams, ideas and passions come out and they try to make the best of it. They both want out. Mooney wants to study in New York, Lou wants to go back. The seaside town certainly isn't good enough for the both of them, and they make as much change as they can, in the hopes of it doing something. The boxing of Lou's father has rubbed off on her, as she becomes a tough girl unlike any of the others in town, and uses it to her advantage.
There's more to "New Waterford Girl" than this, more spirit, ideas and "life" than expected, that makes this a wonderful experience. That a film dares to be different and unique, and is so emotionally wrenching yet funny, touching and free, surprising and realistic that it becomes more than a movie, it's a great addition to the teen "coming of age" movies of our generation.
Liane Balaban and Tara Spencer-Nairn are two actresses to watch this year. Balaban, who looks strikingly like Natalie Portman and with realism, edge and amazing beauty, plays Mooney perfectly, as a girl on the end of her emotional rope, wanting release, something more, something better. Spencer-Nairn is a firecracker of amazing talent and power, in one of the most unique and honest performances I've seen, as a girl who can't adjust to her surroundings and makes attention known to the town.
The supporting cast is also excellent; Mark McKinney plays a confused doctor who thinks he is treating Mooney but really isn't changing anything about her. Mooney's parents are played by Nicholas Campbell and Mary Walsh, who are absolutely convincing as worried, crazed parents from that decade. Cathy Moriarty is great as Lou's mom, she has nothing to add to the town and despises the hiding. And Andrew McCarthy plays Mooney's teacher, who tries to counsel Mooney on her future yet is interested in other things.
I went into this film with no expectations. I had seen no clips or reviews going in, just the poster and some newspaper advertisements. I had only heard of director Moyle through some of his other films ("Empire Records," "Pump Up The Volume," among others, unseen by me) How refreshing it is to come out of a movie this satisfied, knowing this will speak to many people, and inspire and possibly even change a few lives in the process, giving hope to not only Canadian independent filmmaking but to our own desires and dreams that we choose or choose not to live out. Even if Lou Benzoa carries your picture.
Rating: **** out of ****
Director: Allan Moyle Length: 98 minutes Aspect Ratio: 1.85:1
Snow Day (2000)
Sure, it's silly, but kids and the kid-minded will love it.
"Snow Day" is not a film to be taken seriously, and thankfully the filmmakers decided not to go that route, and instead put together a fun film for kids, or if you feel like being a kid again.
What I liked about the film was that it gives viewers that great feeling that no doubt they once had as children: the news that you don't have to go to school because this wonderful thing called SNOW was all over the ground. And since this snow is more solid than rain, kids can play in it and have fun. And that is exactly what the message of the film gets through.
Although the story is slightly silly (young Natalie tries to stop the Snowplow Man, Hal tries to get the girl of her dreams, their dad is competing with another weatherman, and so on), its heart is in the right place, and for that, I laughed and smiled my way through.
The acting is surprisingly good. My favorite was little 10 year old Zena Grey as Natalie. She's ever so adorable in her first major role (she's had small bits on Saturday Night Live and in "The Bone Collector"), and she acts exactly like a young girl her age should. Let's hope more filmmakers note the talent in this cute little girl. Mark Webber is also terrific as brother Hal, he's very honest and true in the film, instead of being the typical teen stereotype in so many of today's films of that nature. And there is added support by Chevy Chase, Chris Elliot, Josh Peck, and Jean Smart, among others. Even the direction by Chris Koch is great, there are some nice shots here (like the opening shot where a snowflake falls and lands on Natalie's mouth as she walks away).
What a nice surprise it is to see a film released so early in the year to become a surprisingly lighthearted and funny piece of entertainment. It was great to feel like a kid again for 89 minutes.
Rating: *** out of ****
Aspect Ratio: 1.85:1 Matted Length: 89 minutes