Blue Car
Release Date:
May 2, 2003
Limited release
Blue Car marks the feature-film directing and screenwriting debut for former actress Karen Moncrieff. She has taken her talents behind the camera to show us this difficult look at the life of Meg, an 18-year-old Ohio girl, played by Agnes Bruckner. Independent-film character actor David Strathairn joins her in the film's cast.
Meg has been abandoned by her father and is neglected by her mother Diane (Margaret Colin), who is either at work or night school. Due to the lack of a parental influence, she is left in charge of raising her little sister, Lily (Regan Arnold), who cuts herself to get attention. Desperately in need to guidance, Meg turns to her English teacher, Mr. Auster (Strathairn), who encourages her to enter a poetry contest in Tampa.
Over time, the relationship between Meg and Mr. Auster becomes more than just mentoring. They become friends and their bond grows stronger. But eventually, as with the other things in Meg's life, this relationship is destroyed in a predictable manner. If you can't figure out what that means, you'll just have to see the movie.
Distributor Miramax must have high hopes for this film, since they made this their first buy at the 2002 Sundance Film Festival, where it had its world premiere. Recently the film's release date was pushed back six months from its original planned opening of November 8, 2002 to April 2003. Critics have said that even though the film can be quite depressing at times, it is well worth seeing, and is a good first feature outing for Moncrieff as a writer and director. (Marty Doskins/BOP)
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