This is not only an accurate representation of the times--1994-1995--it is also about as authentic a representation of teenage struggles during a time where everyone was supposed to be fine as I've seen in a movie to date. It also sets into motion a thematic struggle between commercialized punk rock--grunge--and the arguably more truer form of the punk rock of the time: the emergence of gangsta' rap.
In the middle of all this is Bridget "Bri Da B" Harrison. Actress Michaela Cavazos steals the show as a young girl battling mental illness who uses rap as a means of channeling her outsized, and turbulent, emotions. Cavazos manages to not only deliver an authentic performance of a teenager swimming through a sea of uneven, and pharmaceutically altered, brain chemistry, but also touch on the realm of the genius with her provocative persona Bri Da B. The movie pulls at the heart strings, while also making you LAUGH OUT LOUD; thanks primarily to Cavazos and the deft handling of her character. It will also have you rocking out to an absolutely superb soundtrack that features the likes of Mudhoney, Sebadoh, Lisa Loeb, Failure, seLf, and so many other staples from the period.
The movie has so many layers and it's the type that begs for repeat viewings. And this is a good thing. I highly recommend watching it. In a time when independent films have been marginalized in favor of "spectacle" comic book films, this movie is a breath of fresh air. We need more them. Watch. Review. Support. 10 Stars.
In the middle of all this is Bridget "Bri Da B" Harrison. Actress Michaela Cavazos steals the show as a young girl battling mental illness who uses rap as a means of channeling her outsized, and turbulent, emotions. Cavazos manages to not only deliver an authentic performance of a teenager swimming through a sea of uneven, and pharmaceutically altered, brain chemistry, but also touch on the realm of the genius with her provocative persona Bri Da B. The movie pulls at the heart strings, while also making you LAUGH OUT LOUD; thanks primarily to Cavazos and the deft handling of her character. It will also have you rocking out to an absolutely superb soundtrack that features the likes of Mudhoney, Sebadoh, Lisa Loeb, Failure, seLf, and so many other staples from the period.
The movie has so many layers and it's the type that begs for repeat viewings. And this is a good thing. I highly recommend watching it. In a time when independent films have been marginalized in favor of "spectacle" comic book films, this movie is a breath of fresh air. We need more them. Watch. Review. Support. 10 Stars.