Girlfriend (2010)

First - for the people who go straight to the bad reviews: Click on each of the ID's of those 4 negative reviews done within a few days of each other. They have names like "MovieBuff" etc. Not a single one of those reviewers have had ANY other activity on IMDb aside from panning this movie. Zilch. All the bad reviews are the same one regurgitated. Which leads me to believe someone has a problem w/the film makers. It is insane this movie has such a low rating, and pretty sad that IMDb would allow something so obvious to go on unnoticed.Now on to the movie. I won't go into specifics because it is sort of difficult to go that far into the details without spoiling - since part of the allure is in the flow of the movie. On the movie box, it says "mesmerizing". I felt the same way - I was waiting for it to happen - it being quite a few things. Some I guessed right, some I guessed wrong, some I didn't see coming at all. Some that I saw coming that did, didn't come at the time. It's an unpredictable movie, which I find appealing. The plot is pretty straight forward, it's more about the direction. Where is this movie going - like waiting for a train wreck you KNOW is coming.The acting was great for the most part. I thought the diner manager was awful, I could have read better lines and I have zero experience acting! He had like 2 lines in the movie and they stick out because they were so insincere. Maybe that was by design, but I doubt it. The female lead does well, she is conflicted and it shows and it is believable. All of the characters in this movie are flawed, save for the child, who, from what I took away from the movie, played a bigger role than it would seem. The lead actor, with Down Syndrome, does a fantastic job. I wouldn't say he had to "act" much. He was obviously very believable, never did I feel he was being coached. It was a sincere performance, one he clearly understood, and at times his sincerity was touching. His reaction to situations, no matter how tragic or good were very even - as a parent of a high functioning autistic, it was dead on. Character development was acceptable. Not enough to where you care so deeply about one or two characters - I was more interested in seeing what was going to happen. Who is going to get what they deserve, etc. I didn't get emotional at all, and maybe that was the intention of the film maker. He could have easily gone that route. In the end, there is a moral to the story, certainly there is an innocence to it, and it explores the vulnerabilities and imperfections in all of us - disabled or 'typical' we all have them. It also leaves you hopeful, that beneath those flaws, there is a natural good in all of us, just as well.

"Girlfriend" wasn't fully all that I had expected it to be. That being said, don't get me wrong, because it is not a bad movie, far from it. "Girlfriend" is a beautifully told drama, I had just initially expected a little bit more from it. Though it was good entertainment.The story in the movie is about Evan, who has Down Syndrome, living with his mom in a small town, where he helps her out at a diner. One day his mom doesn't wake up in the morning as she usually does, and Evan is left alone in a world, where he is coming to terms with life around him and being in love with Candy, a single mom who he went to high school with - but she is having issues with a former boyfriend, and he is violent."Girlfriend" is a beautifully told story about life and relationships that transcends beyond the usual shallow approach many of us actually have towards these matters, whether we acknowledge it or not. It tells the story of an innocent youth with a heartfelt crush on a woman. And it tells the story of not being "normal" in the terms of what we as a society has branded as "normal". It was a very moving story and it was nicely executed on the screen.The cinematography was just brilliant. Lots of great camera work here, it was subtle, but still so beautiful, and there was some very emotional and symbolic images throughout the movie, that was really brought to life by the great visionary eye of the camera crew.As for the acting, well then I think they had some nice people on the list, and newcomer to the movie industry, Evan Sneider (playing Evan) really did a great job. Thumbs up on that. His performance was very natural and believable, and it was charismatic and right on the money. But also the performance by Shannon Woodward (playing Candy) was quite good, having good chemistry with Evan on the screen. Cast as the violent ex-boyfriend Russ was Jackson Rathbone, and he was really well cast for that role, he was very charismatic and acted out that role to perfection. Playing Evan's mom, Celeste, was Amanda Plummer, who despite just having a supporting minor role in the movie, really left a great impact on the rest of the movie even after her character died.If you like dramas that very well could have been taken straight out of our ordinary every day lives, then you definitely should check out "Girlfriend". It is a beautiful movie with a great story and a big heart. It is the type of movie that will stick with you for some time, because it was just that beautiful.

Girlfriend is a dark film, a very heavy film, weighing down on you as you watch it. There is so much going on beneath the surface of the artfully simplistic filming techniques. The viewer is forced to pay close attention to the cues within a wide shot, the secrets behind a dialogue, and the tragedies behind a profile.The core cast is small, and we get to know each character in depth. To me, this adds to the small town feel provided by the setting of Girlfriend, Wayland, Massachusetts.Evan is a kind and pure heart, and everything from the way he is filmed to the lines he says presents him as such. We simply see him, in his small world, reaching out to and caring about the people around him. This is exemplified when he decides to give a large sum of money to the woman he has crushed on since high school, Candy.Candy has a difficult time believing that Evan's gift is from the kindness of his heart and not a means to an end. It is here that we get a glimpse into what her life has been like. Her past experiences and relationships have left her jaded. She's lost, held together only by her love for her son.Russ… Russ took me by surprise at how vile he was, even being prepared by the synopsis and the movie trailer. He is Candy's ex-boyfriend; violent, alcoholic, and just as lost as she. He still involves himself in her life, as does she with his, and the interaction is never healthy.Kenny is a key pressure point in the story, helping to create conflict in an already volatile situation. His presence on screen is brief, but his impact on the story remains throughout.During a question and answer bit after the second showing at the Toronto International Film Festival, someone asked the cast and crew about the filming techniques used in the film. I found the cinematographer's response to be very intriguing. She explained that each main character was filmed in a unique way that exaggerates the nature of their situation and personality.Evan was filmed in wide, steady angles, so that we could see him in the middle of his world. Long takes allow the viewer to experience the passing of time in his overwhelmingly lonely reality.Candy was always filmed lost in a tight frame, between other people or objects, to demonstrate how suffocated her character was. This certainly came across to me, often times feeling stifled just watching it.Russ is a dark and mysterious character, and the camera got this across by shooting him from a distance and obstructing the view. Russ is always lurking in the back of your mind from the moment you meet him. My first time seeing the film, I was often left with a knot in my stomach after his scenes, just from the feeling of dread that his persona left with me.I wholeheartedly believe that the cast chosen for this movie was beyond perfect. My congratulations go out to the production team for putting together such a successful band of talent. Evan Sneider is without a doubt the star, and his portrayal of everything from kindness, innocence, longing, hurt, and anger left me breathless. He masterfully delivered some of the most impacting lines in the film.Shannon Woodward seems to be worn beyond her years as Candy. She presents the character as so lost and hopeless, tired of life in general, with little to cling to. There was a moment of having to return my mind to reality after the film when I had the pleasure of meeting Shannon, sweet and vibrant and humble.Jackson Rathbone as Russ was absolutely haunting. From the moment you meet his character in the movie, the hair on the back of your neck stands up and you just know he's nothing but trouble. All through the film he demonstrates time and time again that he is in a dark, dark place. It is a testament to Jackson's talent as an actor that there are moments when you find yourself hurting for Russ, and you feel conflicted about it. Jackson's mastery of Russ' facial expressions was what impressed me the most. In any scene, you can see and hear what Russ is putting out there, but see another emotion cross his face; doubt, revulsion with himself, shame, hurt. It is in these moments that you see the man behind the hard exterior, the man that knows when he is doing wrong, the man that feels emotions like anyone else.So much went into making this film as beautiful as it was, and my review wouldn't be complete without mentioning the original score and soundtrack. The score was composed by the band 100 Monkeys, whose members include Jerad Anderson and Jackson Rathbone (both Girlfriend actors and producers,) M. Lawrence Abrams, Ben Johnson, and Ben Graupner. Its sound is raw and often times dark, much like the story, with subtle drones and dramatic crescendos that aided the suspense and anticipation prevalent throughout the movie. The soundtrack features well placed songs by talents such as Daniel Johnston and Spencer Bell. It is clear that everything, from the cast, the camera angles, the dialogue and the music, was chosen with the utmost care and attention, and was, to me, a total success.I came away from the movie feeling that it was a very bold and very important film. It touches on so many themes; prejudice, necessity, humanity, abuse, love. Seeing it twice wasn't enough, and I feel such a strong desire for everyone in the world to get to see it now.I congratulate everyone involved on an amazing and touching film. It has important statements to make, and I know that it will continue to make them as it wins the hearts of everyone that sees it.

Genuinely touching film about a guy with Down's syndrome who finds himself in a very different kind of love triangle. Toughest performance may have been by Shannon Woodward who must play a sympathetic, conflicted character as she picks her way through an emotional and ethical minefield. Evan as Evan also put on a brave performance. Subtle yet effective cinematography, great transitions.None of the writing seemed overwrought, and judging by the QA, Shannon herself had a lot of room to edit the script on the fly. And the guy who played Russ also managed to bring moments of sympathy to his character despite being a very scary jerk.A relatively straightforward film that still manages to surprise.