Reviews

Really? George Bernard Shaw must be rolling over in his grave. Absolutely deplorable, cheap, & NOT FUNNY! No class, no style, no taste, virtually NO semblance of any of the good qualities of its source material. Fortunately, the public is so ignorant & illiterate - especially the TV viewing public - I'm sure very few of this show's viewers will have a clue that it's an adaptation of a BOOK! Some will probably reference "My Fair Lady" as the source material because they have no idea the musical was first a great book by a legendary writer. The entire concept of the selfie is a disgusting indication of our current self-obsessed, self-absorbed, selfish culture of self-celebration, ego, & narcissism. Social media has created a generation of soulless, entitled consumer-brats, which is obviously the target audience for this fifth-rate drivel. Next!

This film defies description and cannot be put into a category. It's one-of-a-kind in every positive sense ot the label. Performances are all sensational, with a breakout debut by the female lead. When I learned this was based on a true story, I was even more astounded by this remarkable gem of a film.

SEE IT! You won't forget it; you definitely won't regret it. I guarantee!

I saw this film on its opening day quite by happenstance, as I had intended to see a showing of DICK which was inexplicably cancelled. I can only be grateful for that occurrence, since this is one of the more compelling films to come along in quite some time. Nothing is given away by my noting that it will, undoubtedly, be compared to MIDNIGHT EXPRESS, a classic re-telling of yet another true story that is a variation on the same harrowing subject. The difference here is really the characters. Namely, two recent high-school girls of privilege who haven't a clue what goes on in the real world. Their journey into that disturbing realization serves as, generally, compelling fodder for dramatic story-telling. As I've said, this isn't the first time we've visited this genre, but its theme is decidedly different and the first-rate performances and script make the trip well worthwhile. Though kudos are in order all around, add this performance to the already impressive repertoire of the luminous Claire Danes, who makes every moment resonate with truth. Always in control as an actor, she opts for unique, informed choices, not only as the character but also in the projects she undertakes. This is not the sort of "teen flick" a lesser actor with her celebrity would/should ever attempt. I applaud her restraint and unending good sense, an unfortunate rarity with most persons of her age. Sorry, that's the truth, kids. Even so, I really like the way the screenplay seems to be telling baby boomers not to be so quick to pat themselves on the back for their parenting skills (i.e. - all that baloney about being your child's best friend, UNEARNED self esteem, etc.). Almost in spite of these despicable excuses for parents, their children (at least these two girls) emerge as selfless, mature adults with more compassion than the generation that came before them.

If you'd like to be entertained AND engaged by something far more frightening than make-believe witches in the woods, this is the choice for you. PLUS...this story really IS true.