Rollercoaster
(2000)
Chock full of more teen angst per second than Melissa
Joan Hart having her period, "Rollercoaster" is an awesome
film. I love teen angst. It's like cinematic candy.
This is like "The Breakfast Club" for the post-post
modern alt_rock set. It's just jammed with teenagers
feeling sorry for themselves, struggling with problems
and trying to decide what would be better, life or death.
It's about kids walking that delicate flower path between
childhood and adulthood. It's got violence, aggression,
sex, bad feelings about sex, teen pregnancy, teen suicide,
pedophilia, techno rock tunes, awesome visuals, great
characters, well-scripted exposition, wonderful acting
and much, much more. It's a really good film.
At it's core are five youngsters who go to an abandoned
amusement park for a day of kicks. Through a bit of
plot and dialogue, we learn that they are from a "group
home." Writer/Director Scott Smith doesn't spoon feed
us characters and exposition, he dribbles it out like
the slow drip of an IV. It's a well written piece of
work, even when it gets off track here and there.
But the true stars of the film are the actors. Most
notable is Brendan Fletcher as Stick. Oscillating wildly
between passive and aggressive, Stick is a bundle of
open nerves trying to find a path to something, anything.
Fletcher allows us to slowly delve into his character's
thoughts and feelings and to gain a remarkable insight
into the confusion and oppression of teen angst. It's
a praise-worthy performance of one of the most valid
teen characters we have seen in years.
The centerpiece of the film, however, is a pair of
young lovers laboring with existence, teen pregnancy
and despair. There love story takes so many twists and
turns, the characters are wrung out with nothing left
at the end. We know them fully and understand their
feelings and motivations. When the end comes, it does
not shock us, does not confuse us, does not compromise
the characters. It's compelling.
The final important character is Justin, the youngest
of the bunch. He is desperately trying to make sense
of world he is stuck in. He sees the confusion and the
hurt of those slightly older than him and, coupled with
his own feelings, finds himself lost, adrift in a sea
of bewilderment and loneliness. Brent Glenen plays the
role remarkably well.
Alas, Sean Amsing, as Sanj, has almost nothing. his
character is nothing but periphery. Eventually he gets
a plot point but it still gives him little to do.
At it's heart, in the story of Stick, "Rollercoaster"
takes a sidelong glance at teen sexuality and the troubling
and confusing moments this can bring. Perhaps Smith
goes a bit too far here by introducing an element that
is typical and easy. But Smith gives it a little twist
and Fletcher makes it work full throttle to his advantage.
It's a tired cliche of plot that Smith inserts here
and I wanted to hate it, but it couldn't spoil the beauty
of the character of Stick. Fletcher just pulls it through
with the cocky assuredness filled with doubt and puzzlement
that only a truly gifted teenager could succeed at.
He takes the typical and, with help from Smith's masterful
script, points it in a new direction. Sure, it wallows
in it all for a while, but isn't that what being a teenager
is all about?
"Rollercoaster" is a great film. Sometimes it teeters
between overwrought emotionalism and dower distance.
Just like a teenager. It's grand in it's angst and almost
always rings true, if you just look for it.
Note:
Score by Don MacDonald.
Official website is http:\\www.rollercoasterthemovie.com
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