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IMDb > Garden Party (2008)

Garden Party (2008) More at IMDbPro »

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Garden Party (2008) -- 15-year-old April is running from one bad situation to another, hoping to find an answer that doesn't involve getting undressed. As April navigates LA, she finds a group of confused kids struggling to chase their dreams.
Garden Party (2008) -- This is the theatrical trailer for Garden Party, directed by Jason Freeland.
Garden Party (2008) -- Are you young, sexually confused, just trying to get by? Do you sing, dance or possess some other talent...
Garden Party (2008) -- Open-ended Trailer from Roadside Attractions

Overview

User Rating:
6.1/10   1,322 votes
MOVIEmeter: ?
Up 10% in popularity this week. See rank & trends on IMDbPro.
Director:
Jason Freeland
Writer:
Jason Freeland (writer)
Contact:
View company contact information for Garden Party on IMDbPro.
Release Date:
11 July 2008 (USA) more
Genre:
Drama more
Tagline:
Come with a Dream. Leave with a Story.
Plot:
Are you young, sexually confused, just trying to get by? Do you sing, dance or possess some other talent... more | add synopsis
NewsDesk:
(10 articles)
Top Three Parties: Garden Party, Bea Buzz, Tip Tops
 (From Vanity Fair. 13 April 2009, 3:19 PM, PDT)

ComicMix Quick Picks - February 18, 2009
 (From Comicmix. 18 February 2009, 8:21 PM, PST)

User Comments:
Five people with different dreams struggle with day to day life in Los Angeles more

Cast

  (Cast overview, first billed only)

Vinessa Shaw ... Sally St. Claire
Willa Holland ... April

Richard Gunn ... Todd

Patrick Fischler ... Anthony
Fiona Dourif ... Becky

Erik Smith ... Sammy (as Erik Scott Smith)
Alexander Cendese ... Nathan (as Alex Cendese)

Ross Patterson ... Joey Zane
Jordan Havard ... Wayne

Christopher Allport ... Davey Diamond
Jeff Newman ... Carlos

Tierra Abbott ... Lana

Lisa Arturo ... April's Mother
Erik Bragg ... Dirk

Alesha Rucci ... Adriana (as Alesha Clarke)
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Create a character page for: ?

Additional Details

Runtime:
88 min
Country:
USA
Language:
English
Color:
Color
Aspect Ratio:
1.85 : 1 more
Sound Mix:
Dolby Digital
Certification:
USA:Not Rated
Filming Locations:
Los Angeles, California, USA
Company:
Lookout Films more

Fun Stuff

Soundtrack:
I Close My Eyes more

FAQ

A Note Regarding Spoilers
Is "Garden Party" based on a novel?
Any recommendations for movies like "Garden Party"?
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30 out of 51 people found the following comment useful:-
Five people with different dreams struggle with day to day life in Los Angeles, 19 August 2008
4/10
Author: jfwong from United States

I liked Crash. I thought the interweaving story lines was subtle enough to not make me second guess any of the writing. The issues dealing with race and class differences was very compelling and brought me to a different level when I left the movie theater.

I do not like Garden Party. Here we have yet another film about people living or moving to LA to try and follow their dreams. The problem with stories like this is the subject matter itself. The film has a smart premise, but I simply did not care for any of the characters.

That being said, Garden Party is not a total failure. While the story lines that do join together are forced and many times just don't feel genuine in the least bit. But we do have small scenes of character interactions that are quirky, funny, and charming.

The movie portrays LA a little differently than people see it as on the outside. Unfortunately for LA, the more real perception of the city isn't very pretty. And when a movie comes along trying to push that specific point, it better do it with some characters we want to care about.

In the end, Garden Party is the story of how we struggle to live our lives, and how not everything is golden and happy on the outside. You might connect with some of the terribly stereotyped characters, but in truth the writing doesn't lend itself to a strong character development, the acting as a whole is sub par, and the story simply not believable. I didn't buy into it, but you might.

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