Blue Car

REVIEW
Meg (Bruckner) and Lily are siblings far enough apart in years that Meg ends up being the surrogate parent to her younger sister in the wake of their parent’s divorce. Their father is almost completely absent while their mother overworks and goes to school. While Meg deals with her confusion and pain by writing deeply moving poetry with adolescent detachment, Lily cuts herself and goes on hunger strikes. As Meg flounders for understanding of her tumultuous life she is noticed by a teacher, Mr. Auster (Strathairn), who prods her to submit her poetry and never sell herself short. It all starts out innocently enough but being a wounded teen, she begins to rely on him more and more until he takes advantage of her neediness for a strong male role model as a sexual invitation. Self-mutilation, pedophilia and suicide are never easy subjects to broach but writer and director Moncrieff handles them with a deep poignancy and unflinching reality. The despondency that seeps out of Meg throughout the film is double edged. While it lends a most realistic portrayal of her plight, it also drags down the pace of the film that makes it feel a bit too long. That aside, the film is well worth watching and may stick around in your thoughts far longer than expected. Watch for the outstanding performance by young actress Arnold as Lily.