I couldn't believe how almost nobody had heard of this film when I saw it in the early 00s on video. It truly is an undiscovered gem. Linda Manz, who plays the lead role of Cebe, proves dynamite really does come in small packages - her performance was nothing short of extraordinary. My heart broke every time she acted out, because all I could think of was how her rebellious behavior was nothing but a sad reflection of her mother and father's poor parenting skills and her lack of emotional connection to other people was probably just a manifestation of their absent parenting toward her. At just 16 years old, she should not of been wandering the streets on her lonesome, she should of been put in a stable home environment and sent to school. However, when your mother is a junkie and your father is in and out of jail (and tries to molest you), you don't have much hope in the world. We see her at school only briefly and had she remained there without playing truant, I highly doubt she would be able to establish a connection or bond with the other kids.
Being a teenager is hard enough, and the troubles youth endure are almost endless, but when you come from such a disastrous home environment, your chances for rehabilitation and stability are low. However, Cebe was young and there was a chance for a turn around in her behavior. By the end, however, any kind of glimmer of hope for this young woman is literally obliterated.
The film itself, while somewhat amateur and almost 'no-budget', is extraordinary thanks to some very solid performances. I watched it on a low quality VHS, but I was still engrossed in the story. I felt unbelievably sad for all of the characters and I appreciated the fact that the final moments were realistic and true to Cebe's destructive, anarchist type character. There was no tacked on, Hollywood fairy tale ending for Cebe, because in real life, there rarely is. Yes, the film is quite nihilistic in its pursuit, but it's also very realistic and the method acting gives it a natural quality reminiscent of the work of John Cassavetes. It's a groundbreaking character study that still has such relevance today - perhaps even more so in our apathetic, zombie-like teenage society. I had always a soft spot for this film, having been a wayward, misguided teen myself. Fortunately my home life was more nurturing and solid than Cebe's, so I was able to turn my negativity around before it was too late.
I have hoped for years the Criterion Collection (a company who restore and release classic or important films) would snatch up this title and give it the proper DVD/Blu ray treatment it deserved, remastered with special features and what not. It seems like the perfect title for their catalog... obscure, yet nothing short of amazing.
10/10
Being a teenager is hard enough, and the troubles youth endure are almost endless, but when you come from such a disastrous home environment, your chances for rehabilitation and stability are low. However, Cebe was young and there was a chance for a turn around in her behavior. By the end, however, any kind of glimmer of hope for this young woman is literally obliterated.
The film itself, while somewhat amateur and almost 'no-budget', is extraordinary thanks to some very solid performances. I watched it on a low quality VHS, but I was still engrossed in the story. I felt unbelievably sad for all of the characters and I appreciated the fact that the final moments were realistic and true to Cebe's destructive, anarchist type character. There was no tacked on, Hollywood fairy tale ending for Cebe, because in real life, there rarely is. Yes, the film is quite nihilistic in its pursuit, but it's also very realistic and the method acting gives it a natural quality reminiscent of the work of John Cassavetes. It's a groundbreaking character study that still has such relevance today - perhaps even more so in our apathetic, zombie-like teenage society. I had always a soft spot for this film, having been a wayward, misguided teen myself. Fortunately my home life was more nurturing and solid than Cebe's, so I was able to turn my negativity around before it was too late.
I have hoped for years the Criterion Collection (a company who restore and release classic or important films) would snatch up this title and give it the proper DVD/Blu ray treatment it deserved, remastered with special features and what not. It seems like the perfect title for their catalog... obscure, yet nothing short of amazing.
10/10