Rating: 
Summary: like me in a way
Review: i have to say that in a way she is like me
besides the part of the dad leaving she is.
i have meny problems in my life and the way i get
rid of them i write poetry. it may sound strange but
it gets all of my anger and emotions out.
it helps having it down on paper. i think she might
have felt this way in the movie but that is from my
point of veiw.
Rating:
Summary: Un-True BLUE
Review: I haven't figured out what disturbs me more about BLUE CAR: is the film another foray into the realm of disaffected youth (in the seemingly endless franchise of films about disaffected youth), or is it a social statement -- written and directed by a woman -- depicting a world completely void of a single respectable male role model? Is it a chick flick -- non combo-sized -- or is it a veiled endorsement of post-modern feminism("Me Jane, You Tarzan!")? Did every young girl get seduced at a ripe high school age by a philandering educator, or is it just the ones who went on to write and direct their own films?Again, the liberal Ubermensch at Sundance (sarcasm not included) keep you guessing at to what's truly admirable at the center of the film called BLUE CAR. The viewer can never be quite certain ... but of no doubt is the breakout performance of young Agnes Bruckner in the role of Meg Denning. Bruckner plays Meg with terrific, understated conviction as the young girl torn between a poor life at home and a budding attraction to her poetry teacher (David Strathairn, who really shouldn't appear shirtless unless the film's a comedy). If there is any compelling reason to see this film, it's to enjoy Ms. Bruckner's work; like the character she plays, the actress is destined for great things. What's truly surprising is the fact that this film earned an R rating for "sexual content and language" when it appears to be seemingly void of both. Sure, the teacher teaches the student, and the student teaches the teacher ... but I've seen hotter scenes on PBS.
Rating: 
Summary: Great
Review: I really enjoyed this movie. It touched me in a way very few movies have. Made me think about my life and the people around me. Excellent.
Rating:
Summary: Kind of Creepy
Review: I was disappointed with this film, although I do think it was well made with good performances. I think the real problem is the story. The plot, although probably very realistic, was obvious from the first time you saw the teacher. This story has been told so many times before it is practically urban legend for coming of age girls. I was frustrated that nothing new was brought to the story but rather just a very well made version of an old story.
I feel bad for David Strathan he always plays these type of parts and the scene where he and his student hook up was downright creepy. I felt like the story took a bit of a detour here in being true to its characters and became a tad ABC afternoon special.
I was also annoyed that the writer chose to make the wife a drunk, I suppose so we would have some sympathy for the teacher but in the end the movie backtracks on that. Must the other woman be somehow defective for a man to stray? That was an annoying aspect.
Rating:
Summary: Boring? Not hardly...
Review: I'm surprised that other reviewers found this movie boring or slow-moving. While it's true that there's relatively little "action" in Blue Car, the story moves along briskly and at no point did I feel like I was waiting for something to happen. The strength of this movie is in its authenticity. The main character, Meg, looks and behaves like a teenage girl overwhelmed by her circumstances, generally confused by everything around her, and constantly on the verge of flinching in fear of being hit by life's next big event. The crush that she develops on her teacher, the one person who seems to be making any effort at all to support her, evolves quite naturally. We can see what it is that she needs from him and how it gets mixed up (in her mind and in his) with his own needs and wants. As a teacher, I could totally identify with the way his role as teacher and his role as friend (and eventually romantic interest) became increasingly blurred. We'd all like to think that these things are totally separate and distinct, but the truth is that we're all far more complex than that. Different feelings get mixed together and it's not always possible to see what we're doing (and how it's effecting others) with total objectivity. The final outcome of the movie is painful but is handled beautifully. Things may not have worked out ideally, but Meg has grown from the experience and is now ready to start taking care of herself. This film respects all of its characters and no one is there to play the hero or the villain. Even Meg's negligent mother, who I wanted to throttle several times throughout the movie, is just a person overwhelmed by the circumstances that have gradually developed around her. This is the first movie I've seen in a while that just took my breath away. I recommend it highly.
Rating:
Summary: Driven By Honest Emotions
Review: Meg (Agnes Bruckner) is a depressed teenager caring for a troubled younger sister and a neglectful, selfish single mother. When her teacher (David Strathairn) notices her poetry talents, Agnes is given the self-esteem she so sorely lacks. The well-written plot follows Meg and Mr. Austers' relationship slowly develop in a cautious manner. When Meg is encouraged by Mr. Auster to enter a poetry contest in Florida, her enthusiasm is countered with family tragedy and personal emotional conflict. The two characters find subtle solace in odd things they have in common and the easy emotional support they give each other. These are complex characters given real-life situations. The emotions are real and the script and acting never gives in to banality or cliché. It is a heart-tugging treat to see the growth occur in every character, although at different levels and speeds. The conclusion is so full of honesty; it's difficult to blame anyone for their human follies in this melancholy piece of Americana. Writer-Director Karen Moncrieff's first feature film is marvelous. Note: The deleted scenes don't add much to this DVD, but the Director's commentary is extremely insightful and heartfelt.
Rating:
Summary: Driven By Honest Emotions
Review: Meg (Agnes Bruckner) is a depressed teenager caring for a troubled younger sister and a neglectful, selfish single mother. When her teacher (David Strathairn) notices her poetry talents, Agnes is given the self-esteem she so sorely lacks. The well-written plot follows Meg and Mr. Austers' relationship slowly develop in a cautious manner. When Meg is encouraged by Mr. Auster to enter a poetry contest in Florida, her enthusiasm is countered with family tragedy and personal emotional conflict. The two characters find subtle solace in odd things they have in common and the easy emotional support they give each other. These are complex characters given real-life situations. The emotions are real and the script and acting never gives in to banality or cliché. It is a heart-tugging treat to see the growth occur in every character, although at different levels and speeds. The conclusion is so full of honesty; it's difficult to blame anyone for their human follies in this melancholy piece of Americana. Writer-Director Karen Moncrieff's first feature film is marvelous. Note: The deleted scenes don't add much to this DVD, but the Director's commentary is extremely insightful and heartfelt.
Rating:
Summary: Misguided Meg on Perilous Venture...
Review: Moncrieff creates a very strong story as she directs Blue Car which touches the very essence of ourselves as it offers remarkable tragedy that can cause much reflection. Meg writes about her personal problems as she seeks a way to exorcise her deep pain within, and one day in school she reads out loud what she has written. When Meg's English literature teacher hears this piece he believes that she should compete for a poetic scholarship that is available. He also offers to help her during his lunch hour. In this process, she finds a strong foundation which she is lacking at home as her mother is constantly working or in school. Misguided, Meg is drawn into a downward spiraling journey toward more problems as everything around her seems to collapse. In the end, Blue Car provides an outstanding cinematic experience.
Rating:
Summary: Misguided Meg on Perilous Venture...
Review: Moncrieff creates a very strong story as she directs Blue Car which touches the very essence of ourselves as it offers remarkable tragedy that can cause much reflection. Meg writes about her personal problems as she seeks a way to exorcise her deep pain within, and one day in school she reads out loud what she has written. When Meg's English literature teacher hears this piece he believes that she should compete for a poetic scholarship that is available. He also offers to help her during his lunch hour. In this process, she finds a strong foundation which she is lacking at home as her mother is constantly working or in school. Misguided, Meg is drawn into a downward spiraling journey toward more problems as everything around her seems to collapse. In the end, Blue Car provides an outstanding cinematic experience.
Rating: 
Summary: This woman knows how to drive
Review: One of the great American myths is the one about choices, that there always is one. Another is that you can be anything you want to be with a bit of effort. Reality blasts the fairytales in "Blue Car." This debut film from writer-director Karen Moncrieff is brilliant. Like the poetry of its lead character, the script is pared to its essentials. Even the score by Adam Gorgoni and Stuart Spencer-Nash is sparse, a melodic whisper with rock underpinnings. The family has been deserted by the father who drove off, we are told, in a blue car. Meg, played by Agnes Bruckner, walks the edge of adulthood long before she should. She cares for her troubled sister, Lily, and for her mother, Diane, an over-burdened woman trying to do the right thing without any help. Regan Arnold and Margaret Colin underplay the roles respectively. Arnold's Lily is a haunting presence throughout; she sticks with you long after the film is over. Colin gives a great performance as a woman coping with one setback after the other. She looks to Meg for support as she makes plans for a new job, vents at her when things go wrong, and attempts to parent the girl when crisis develops. Yet as much as they may long for it, the mother-daughter relationship has dissolved long ago. Ultimately, this is Meg's story and we see the film unfold through her point of view. She copes by writing poetry. Her teacher, Mr. Auster, played by David Strathairn, challenges her to learn more about herself, to put more of herself in her work. Meg soon begins to look to Auster for emotional support. In winning his approval, she wins a place for herself -- but is it the place she wants to be? There are no easy answers. Coming of age films usually work better for male characters with films like "Stand By Me." But female characters have improved with recent entries like "Ghost World," "My First Mister" and, now, "Blue Car." Moncrieff doesn't pull back from uncomfortable material, yet she doesn't sensationalize it. Meg's blue car may be an icon of despair, but it is also a symbol of hope. This storyteller knows how to drive. Video and audio are just fine. Extras include deleted scenes. They all work and add to the story, but it gives you an idea of how Moncrieff edited her work to its essentials. Listen to Moncrieff's feature length commentary for an engaging retrospective on how the film was made.
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