A very misleading title and cover art. This turned out to be about a young woman, Kat (Dominique Swain), trying to fit in at her exclusive private school in NYC. The crowd she runs with can be very fickle; the boys are out to get what they can and the girls are quite catty. Kat's best friend, Delilah (Bijou Phillips)
is a real rebel and circumstances cause them to part ways at a critical juncture in both their lives. Kat looks for acceptance everywhere and thinks she finds it in the arms of a dangerous young man. Tragedy ensues and lives are forever changed and some are destroyed. This was well done with several fine performances. Kat's mother, played by Alberta Watson, was especially finely turned. The conflicts between a mother who wants what is best for her child and can't afford it and the young woman longing to find her place in an uncaring world was, for this viewer the glue that held this together. Look beyond the surface. What you find may be frightening, but ultimately will serve to assist in the eternal search for significance. Family is sometimes the only safe harbor. A surprising four stars.
January 2, 2009
