Rebecca Thomas' first feature as writer-director is an interesting character study of a fifteen year old Mormon girl, Rachel, played with a wonderful and understated performance by Julia Garner. It begins with daddy dearest questioning the teen about her devotion to the Church of Jesus Christ of Latter Day Saints; also known as Mormons. The wide eyed innocent proclaims an unquestioned faith in the teachings to her father. He explains that the interview must be recorded on a cassette player. She later finds the device and pops in a tape with the song "Hanging on the Telephone" on it. While listening to it, she has an epiphany. She believes that the singer is a messenger of God, and that he has chosen her to carry a modern day Baby Jesus. She becomes pregnant; and, of course, mom and dad do not believe her story of an immaculate conception, and a quick marriage to a boy in the Amish looking community is arranged. Rachel has other ideas, and steals the family pick up truck and drives to Las Vegas in search of the singer who has impregnated her via audio tape. She meets a rock band who takes her in and she learns about life outside of her sheltered commune. A few plot twists are included and the ending is rather ambiguous, but I recommend Electrick Children for a very believable Julia Garner; a very promising young actress.
