Foreverisacastironmess
Two young lost souls. One, sullen and withdrawn, the other wild and flamboyant. They happen to cross paths one day and form an instant and intense connection, becoming what each is desperately missing in their lives. They spend the day running riot and breaking the rules, bonding by sharing secrets and lies and having fun. Events escalate as they grow ever more exited, and in the midst of this 'passion', they forget for a while that they too are constrained by the laws of society, and things take a fatal turn as all their anger and pent-up emotions come to a boil, and they go in search of something 'sacred' to share. That something turns out to be the senseless slaughter of a helpless old woman who makes the mistake of trusting them. As individuals they may never have carried out such a crime, as a pair they became lethal and brought out the worst in each other. ::: Okay, so one of the few things I didn't like was how annoying Alecia Witt is when she's acting all hyperactive and theatrical, I think the character was supposed to have O.C.D. or something. However I absolutely loved her when she calmed down and pulled her performance back a little, subtly revealing a depth of emotion while idly running fingers through her beautiful fiery hair. I thought she had a powerful realistic quality to her in those moments. A few flashback images reveal that the character is haunted by what she's done, if only subconsciously, so I guess that's at least something. Renee Humphries was equally great, but in a very different way. Her performance was sharp, fragile, and painfully honest. I think that while she and Witt together make for some of the most amazing moments in the film, she's somewhat overshadowed by Witt's character. I found her much more stronger and compelling on her own. One of the picture's greatest strengths is that both actresses are very realistic and it doesn't come off as acting at all, they feel like real kids. I really don't like it when they say "nuclear", it sounds so dated and corny now! There's also one memorable little sequence of them running around all speeded-up, to this oh-so 90s beat that will also probably be seen as corny by many, and I can understand why! Uh, but not for me personally, I love that part and that's another reason I think so highly of this, it makes me feel great nostalgia for the 90s. My era maan... ::: I liked the themes of colour and lack thereof that emphasises the tones of the past and present. With the 'fun', deadly day of freedom being in vivid colour, while the stark grim reality of the present is in a bleak monochrome. The director clearly had a brilliant grasp of imagery and how to utilise it properly. The ashen look of the interview scenes does not waste a single frame and is remarkably effective at conveying mood. Ultimately, great acting, script and direction make this a saddening yet thought-provoking film due to the raw humanity on display and behind the culprit's actions, it shows what can be achieved with a minimum of resources, and the emotions that such a simple-looking, spartan film can bring out is pretty fantastic. It's not for everyone, but you won't forget it in a hurry. ::: I've heard some grumblings, but for me the standout scene and core of the movie is totally when the old lady meets her demise. With each passing second the scene grows more tense and unnerving. It's obvious the poor thing isn't all there in the head, allowing two complete strangers into her home. I actually find it more disturbing before the attack begins. The way the woman busies herself around them, and shows sweet grandmotherly concern for the girl that's about to murder her. And then of course it just gets horrible as the woman becomes terrified... Witt is such a horrific force as she works herself into a frenzy. To me that's the only time you really feel the horror of it. For the rest of the film the murder feels small and remote somehow...not as important as the girls and how their stories are going to end-you care more about them then you do about her! I have never seen another movie that could manage that. It certainly makes the empathy point well. It actually makes you feel compassion for them even after seeing the unthinkable act that they've committed. It makes you stop and think twice before writing them off as worthless monsters, and that's quite a distinctive quality for a movie like this to have. ::: The final sombre closing scene with Hillary is kind of unsatisfying, as the camera draws away from her in the grey empty world she's created for herself... It's sad, they were each other's whole world for only a day, and through their rage and actions one ended up with death and the other nothing... And the magnificent music which plays over the scene and the end credits is incredibly moving, perfectly capturing all the painful themes of damaged children's lives and innocence... Those kids were beautiful, alienated, at once craving wild experience and romanticising death. Is it any wonder they can be identified with?
Timothy Shary
So hard to believe that this film came out nearly two decades ago, five years before Columbine made the topic of juvenile violence so taboo in teen movies. And it still remains impressive as an examination of girls' anger rather than boys, as a meditation on the possible yet inexplicable outcome of childhood torment.spoiler of ending ahead - Two girls meet one afternoon and, after sharing stories of their childhood abuses and going on a cross-neighborhood prank spree, end up murdering an elderly woman in a cathartic rampage of unleashed aggression. Their lack of motive for the crime and their passionately non-sexual devotion to each other baffle the authorities who question them: for these effectively parentless children, the path from conversation to confession to stealing to games to jokes to murder is a logical progression, and the film leaves open the unsettling question if many young women are simply waiting for the right partner with whom to follow a similar epiphanic trajectory. In the end, after being imprisoned, one of the girls kills herself when she learns that the two of them will be separated, which becomes her twisted attempt to immortalize their uniquely understanding relationship. The film wisely concludes that the diffuse yet damaging oppressions of girls may lead to all manner of "fun" or furious outbursts and reactions.
mikeycarmichael
I liked the film and I may know something that many of the other commentators don't know. The film had the standard disclosure at the end noting that any similarity to actual events is coincidental. But it was anything but coincidence. The actual event happened around 20 years ago in Auburn, California. After knocking on numerous doors, the two teenage girls literally talked their way into an elderly woman's home and killed her. And one of the girls wrote in her dairy "we killed an old woman today and it was lots of fun". The girls were sent to the California Youth Authority where they could have been held until their 25th birthday. One of the two girls continued to make the news by fighting with the woman guards and telling them she would come back to get them after she got out. But does anyone know if the two girls went on to live productive lives after finally getting out as adults??
TeaBunny
I really liked this film. At first the b/w segments seemed stiff, but the introduction of Bonnie and Hillary brought the movie to instant life. I really liked the characters, and the acting from Witt and Humphrey is brilliant. Even though the outcome of the film was hopeless and dark, it makes you think for days, which is the best thing a movie can do. What was really wrong with Bonnie? Did Hillary grow up to be a productive member of society? Was Mrs. Farmer's character annoying on purpose? These things make the film worth watching and mulling over again and again.
