Girl

Rating:
Summary: A realistic reminder of my groupie days!
Review: First of all, I was definitely a groupie in the early 90's so watching this film brought so much of that back for me. I found this to be a realistic depiction of someone like myself who gets drawn into that whole scene and becomes obsessed over band members. It doesn't matter what state you live in or what kind of band, groupies always remain the same. Its this feeling that is so wonderfully captured. Its a coming of age story for teenage girls. I especially liked the fact that she finally realized at the end what it meant to be a true woman, she saw the error of her ways but at the same time, she didn't make apologies for the mistakes she made.

The whole feel of this movie is fantastic as well as the music. I enjoyed spending time with all these different characters that could have been quite a few people I knew at one time. Its one of the best teen films I've seen in a while. I also thought Dominique Swain is someone to definitely watch out for. She's a great actress who put a lot of heart into this role. Her groupie character is very realistic and believable.

This is a movie that I think anyone can enjoy. If you are a groupie or have been one at a certain time in your life, you will recognize the thoughts and feelings of the main character.

Rating:
Summary: Three stars-- because I feel like being nice
Review: Dominique Swain is the primary reason to seek out this relatively little-seen film. Her first movie role, "Lolita," is really something to see. She is very natural and charismatic. Unfortunately, "Girl" isn't up to that standard in any way. She does what she can, but the movie is another cliche-ridden teen film. The supporting cast makes a great effort, particularly Selma Blair (she must be seen in "Cruel Intentions," a wonderful comedic performance). However, by the end of this film, I found myself wondering why the main character Andrea was worthy of my attention for 99 minutes. She doesn't seem to change or grow significantly, although clearly that was the intention (i.e., she becomes a woman, not merely a girl, because she stops chasing after an immature rock singer).

Despite the somewhat poorly told story, this is a cut above much of the recent teen-flick product. Besides the good performances, I give this film some credit for at least attempting to treat its subject with a degree of seriousness. As for the DVD, although not specified here on the amazon.com listing, there is a short 'making-of' featurette and a commentary track with the director and Dominique Swain. Fans of Swain take note: she speaks very infrequently during the film. Still, these features are nice to have and do add to the value of the disc.

Rating:
Summary: READ THE BOOK
Review: The movie is cute. I am a big fan of Dominique Swain. However, this movie is based on a book by Blake Nelson by the same name. The man who made this film should be shot for what he has done to an amazing book. So many vital parts of Andrea's story are left out of the film. (example: Cybil is gay and shaves her head after a run in with Todd.) All I can say is, if you liked the movie, READ THE BOOK. Learn the real story. Then, write nasty letters to screenwriter telling him what an unforgiveable thing he's done........

Rating:
Summary: Great performances by most, but Tara's was the BEST...
Review: Girl is a very well done movie about what it's like I guess to grow up as a teenage girl these days. The story focuses on Andrea Marr, portrayed very well by Dominique Swain, who along with her fellow classmates is about to graduate high school, and face the world ahead. She seems to have everything going for her, she is smart, attractive, comes from a good family, has been accepted to Brown University, but the main plot of the film is her raging hormones. She falls head over heels in lust with singer Todd Sparrow, played by Sean Patrick Flanery, and she somehow metamorphasises into an obsessed lust filled groupie. While most of her other friends are ecstatic that she is "banging" Todd Sparrow, only one, Cybil, who is by far the best character in the movie, and excellently portrayed by Tara Reid, who should have received an Oscar nomination for best supporting actress for this performance, is the only friend who has the courage to be honest with her, and tell her that she's becoming what she said she never would become, a Groupie. It shows the trials and tribulations of what it must be like to grow up as a teenage girl these days, and does it in a mature manner and thankfully not in the typical "teen movie" style that is so prevolent these days. My only criticism is that the whole Andrea - Todd sex story line seems to be in a "wham bam thank you ma'am" style instead of what would have been a far more romantic, even if not totally realistic, sincere, caring, loving, "making love" form of sexual activity. Just because the two of them are young, doesn't mean that they have to "screw" instead of "make love". That would have sent a better message to the youngsters of today, instead of "see someone "cute", go jump their bones." All in all though, it is an excellent movie with great performances by Dominique Swain, Sean Patrick Flanery, Selma Blair, and an especially outstanding performance by Tara Reid as Cybil. This refers to the DVD version.

Rating:
Summary: It hurts me.
Review: I read the book a while back and it is one of my favorite novels. The book was amazing. And while I may be biased, the movie was TERIBBLE. When I first heard about it I was so excited to see it come to life! Then I checked it out and I saw that Tara Reid was playing Cybil. Ewww. I literaly gasped out of horror. Tara is like the anti-Cybil. I'm still horrified. But still, I had hope. Then I saw that Carla was a white blonde and related to Todd (um..Carla was black and cool and definitley not related to Todd). So then I saw it and they left out SO much and changed the plot and Andrea seemed like the typical groupie, which maybe she was but we as an audience want our protaginist to be smart and independent and a little naive and like she was in the book! Not to mention the Color Green songs sucked and what happened to Matthew and Sins of our Fathers? Uhhhhg.

Rating:
Summary: Three stars-- because I feel like being nice
Review: Dominique Swain is the primary reason to seek out this relatively little-seen film. Her first movie role, "Lolita," is really something to see. She is very natural and charismatic. Unfortunately, "Girl" isn't up to that standard in any way. She does what she can, but the movie is another cliche-ridden teen film. The supporting cast makes a great effort, particularly Selma Blair (she must be seen in "Cruel Intentions," a wonderful comedic performance). However, by the end of this film, I found myself wondering why the main character Andrea was worthy of my attention for 99 minutes. She doesn't seem to change or grow significantly, although clearly that was the intention (i.e., she becomes a woman, not merely a girl, because she stops chasing after an immature rock singer).

Despite the somewhat poorly told story, this is a cut above much of the recent teen-flick product. Besides the good performances, I give this film some credit for at least attempting to treat its subject with a degree of seriousness. As for the DVD, although not specified here on the amazon.com listing, there is a short 'making-of' featurette and a commentary track with the director and Dominique Swain. Fans of Swain take note: she speaks very infrequently during the film. Still, these features are nice to have and do add to the value of the disc.

Rating:
Summary: A whip-smart script crackles with credibility, authenticity
Review: Actor Curtis Armstrong once shared an interesting anecdote about the making of RISKY BUSINESS. It seems that several cinematographers quit director Paul Brickman's pet project early on during production because they just did not "get" the material.

Moreover, because they did not understand the delicacy required to fashion the kind of smart comedy Brickman was attempting to craft, they resented the steep demands Brickman placed on their skills. As Armstrong tells the story, one disgruntled cinematographer finally snapped, screaming aloud at Brickman, "You can't shoot a teen sex comedy like an art film!"

This brings me to 1998's GIRL. Much more than a simple (or simple-minded) teen sex comedy, one could easily refer to GIRL as "the female RISKY BUSINESS."

Neither heavy-handed nor trifling, GIRL strikes the perfect balance between drama and comedy, inviting a welcome comparison to all the best qualities Paul Brickman worked so hard to imbue RISKY BUSINESS with; the whip-smart script crackles with the credibility of pure authenticity, and the filmmaking boasts a finely hewn art-house sensibility.

Even better, this film stands head, shoulders, torso and legs above the puerile and scat-obsessed teen sex films of today that, unfortunately, took the wrong -- and wrong-headed -- cues from AMERICAN PIE, another "teen sex" comedy that, like RISKY BUSINESS and GIRL, was much better than it probably had a right to be.

Without revealing any spoilers, the very clever scripting and direction nails both the visual metaphors and the storytelling metaphors that drive the characters' individual and collective voyages of self-discovery.

The two leads, Dominique Swain and Sean Patrick Flanery, turn in amazing performances of great subtlety and nuance, never once striking a false note: in fact, all of GIRL's young actors are equally excellent.

A veritable "Who's Who" of the up-and-coming talents of today, this has to be the best and brightest young cast assembled since either George Lucas's AMERICAN GRAFFITI, or perhaps Richard Linklater's DAZED AND CONFUSED.

Dominique Swain, Sean Patrick Flanery, Summer Phoenix, Tara Reid, Selma Blair, Channon Roe, Portia de Rossi and Christopher Masterson -- to name just a few of the dazzling talents featured in GIRL -- all turn in uniformly outstanding performances.

Do yourself a favor, and give this film a chance. You'll be glad you did.

Rating:
Summary: could have been..better
Review: I saw this movie cause I love Lolita. Dominique is a great actress, even tara reid was good... she usually isnt .. but in this she was great. Selma always does a great job. The rest of the cast doesn't. Story is ok. Just not good enough to pay for.

Rating:
Summary: Would you please stop to evaluate in regard of books!!!
Review: It's going nowhere, I mean, you can't compare a car and orange juice! This film is good, no matter some "intellectual" people who read too much, can say. It's intelligent and well done and acting vary to not bad to really good.

Rating:
Summary: Great flick
Review: It brought me back to my high school days when I was trying to find myself and when I became interested in music and bands--I'm definately not a groupie however. Great music. I wish there was a soundtrack!