jillian
I'm really surprised at all the above average reviews. It is slightly above average, but not as amazing or outstanding as the majority of the already existing reviews say. Obviously opinion is opinion, but this is a movie with a very specific demographic - young suburban teenage girls in the mid 2010's. One other reviewer said it would prove to be timeless which I completely disagree with due to the specific demographic. It comes off like a made for lifetime movie, but if I were rating it in that subcategory specifically, I would give it a nice good rating, which is why I'm saying now that it is above average, but only very slightly. The cinematography and acting are two of the aspects that bring it above average, but the screenplay itself is poorly executed. The plot does heavily draw from The Crucible, but it does have the aspect of the modern era to negate any theme of an outcast community. The timing is done really well in terms of the way that other girls come forward and also confess that they've been "initiated" with whatever that one individual's mind comes up with when it thinks of an unspoken secret, and the things that people come up with when they come forward is realistic, at least for America, heavily based in molestation. But then it throws in (spoiler) bullying and suicide in what feels like ten seconds and the fact that this movie did that, even though the movie itself was enjoyable in it's own way, makes me actually angry. That a film would just graze over teen suicide in script that's so heavily trying to nudge a shoulder in the face of a crying teen girl, is enraging to me. And the way that the bully/suicide is filmed in like a two scene sequence makes it even worse. It's so close to being right, too. (Big spoiler) A girl is bullied, lightly molested but molested nonetheless, has nobody to run to that she trusts after it happens, and kills herself. In this it's like an accident but statistically teen suicides are based on impulse, or a lack of impulse control having yet developed. It would have been better if she had done it intentionally because that's more realistically how that kind of tragedy happens. Maybe it was an accident because the film wanted to graze over overdosing, too, which would also be enraging for the same main reason of lack of focus. It should have just left this out of the script altogether, make a different movie or a short film, or make this film more heavily about it, but don't just throw it in there like that and then toss in a literal ribbon street dance of forgiveness at the end. Death, especially young death, or the way a young person feels at the moment of attempting suicide, should never be brushed in so lightly and then just forgotten like that. This film dramatized way too heavily on "the secret", which is why the timing of the other girls coming forward seems more realistic, even though that itself is actually flawed too because of the way the local and then national media just instantly flock to the town based off one teenager's unpopular blog. The aesthetic of the online world is extremely outdated. The attempts at sending a message subtly are done too forwardly, like the inward zoom of the girl's smile as her subscriber numbers climb. The way that her blog becomes a safe haven for girls who have survived real sexual assault is also just "what? ugh." Not because it exists, but because it's just lightly brushed in. There could be so much more exploration with the idea of an online safe haven like that with that specific purpose, and it would probably not be so easy to find and just smash in the headlines of a newspaper. I hated those shots, too. Where it just shows newspaper headlines being slammed down on top of each other, with certain quotes or excerpts underlined or highlighted. Also the narration over the film, like it's being half read from a diary and half read from a news interview, with some shots literally showing the characters being interviewed by a news crew, awful. Just awful. I do believe the majority of this film's flaws lie within the narrative aspect itself, all other aspects are what make it decent enough. The acting is half n' half. Some of the acting is done so well I forget they're acting, others are so bad that I can see them trying not to smile during an awkward scene that's supposed to be serious. I don't know, I'm going on for too long with this. Good movie for a film student, not so good as an overall film, though. This is my first time writing a review on here.
Gina Schuster
This movie is amazing and it a MUST SEE! Young women today are bombarded by so many negative role models and messages and it is refreshing to watch a movie that EMPOWERS young women! This movie tells a story in a wonderful way while showing how important it is for young women to empower each other through the strength and courage of sisterhood! Women of all ages need to see this movie. I'd encourage mothers to see this movie with their teen-aged daughters. There is a lot that can be learned from this movie and it can and has sparked great conversation and unity among young women.It was an added bonus for me that the movie was filmed and the story takes place in a location that is just 15 minutes from my hometown! It was fun to see various locations that I visit on a regular basis.Kingston is a vivid, lovely city that certainly created a hometown feel and backdrop which added to the story itself. I know that all of us who shop/bank/live in and around Kingston NY were so grateful to have a movie produced here. There are many shop owners and store employees who had only wonderful things to say about the cast and production staff.
thor5894
Just saw a film festival showing with the director and writer in attendance for a q&a. This is a difficult film to label, the trailer might suggest a 'mean girls as witches' storyline as in The Craft, but this is not a horror flick, there's no supernatural element. It's about female friendships and being true to oneself, there are familiar high school themes of peer pressure, popularity, a dash of cyber bullying, but thankfully none of these are pressed too hard, so it never devolves to a dreary message movie.You could say the plot uses The Crucible as a rough template, but best to discover the specifics for yourself. The director has a great visual sense, and Georgie Henley is a real find as the lead character Mary Warren, she has a natural charisma and commands every scene she's in. Maybe there are one or two obligatory plot turns, but overall the narrative unfolds in surprising ways and lands with real emotional punch. The director said it will be available on video on demand in April 2015. Worth seeking out.
faircatch7
I was fortunate to be in the North American Premiere of this film at the Woodstock Film Festival in October. Having grown up in Kingston, NY where the film was shot was an added highlight. In addition, the screenwriter and director, along with many actors in the film were available for a question and answer session after the showing. The filmmaking and acting was terrific. Georgie Henley did a great job as the main female lead as did Kal Penn, as a Guidance Counselor. The storyline was intense, but humor added in between the dramatic parts of the plot worked very well. Since the main characters are teenage girls, I would imagine that it would be that age group that is drawn to this film.
