Ellie & Abbie

I thoroughly enjoyed this movie. It made me laugh out loud and tear up. All the characters are entertaining and well acted. It was refreshing to watch a film with such a great diversity of female characters. Most of all I really enjoyed watching such positive and healthy interactions between characters. Ellie in particular is so likable as a character (and portrayed beautifully by the actor). She communicates her feelings openly and honestly and while Abbie is more 'flawed' and uncertain they navigate their relationship in a healthy way that I think provides a good road map for teens on how to have healthy, productive relationships. I find it very heartening to see some films offering a more balanced, rational portrayal of the teenage years, something I wish had been more prevalent in my formative years.

Alright, well I hadn't even heard about this 2020 movie prior to getting the opportunity to sit down and watch it. So I didn't really know what to expect from it, aside from it being a romantic comedy. That is usually not the genre of movie that I am in a particular rush to get to watch, but I had the opportunity to watch "Ellie & Abbie (& Ellie's Dead Aunt) from writer and director Monica Zanetti here late in 2020, so I did.

I must admit that it was the movie's title that lured me in, especially the "(& Ellie's Dead Aunt)" part, because it just added a whole different layer to what the movie potentially had to offer.

"Ellie & Abbie (& Ellie's Dead Aunt)" was a movie that actually turned out to be an entertaining and enjoyable movie, and it actually had a good story to tell and something of a heart to share. This is definitely a movie that surprised me. The storyline was interesting and appealing, just as it was entertaining and enjoyable.

The cast in the movie were people that I was not already familiar with, and that is definitely something that I enjoy when watching movies; seeing new faces and talents on the screen, and not associating them with previously portrayed characters and roles in other movies. The two lead actresses Sophie Hawkshaw (playing Ellie) and Zoe Terakes (playing Abbie) definitely carried the movie quite well, and they had good on-screen chemistry together, but alone they were also quite good. Rachel House (playing Patty) was a nice addition to the movie's cast, and her face was oddly recognizable, I just can't put my finger on where it is I have seen her before. And Marta Dusseldorp (playing Erica) really delivered a very memorable performance.

The dialogue in the movie was good, and there definitely was a lot of one-liners that could easily jump from the screen and out into real-life.

One thing that the movie suffered from was its very linear storyline. There were no surprises along the way, and that made for a very predictable story and movie, sadly so.

My rating of "Ellie & Abbie (& Ellie's Dead Aunt)" lands on a six out of ten stars. I can warmly recommend that you take the time to sit down and watch this 2020 movie, if you have the chance to do so.

I'd look at Rotten Tomatoes and Amazon reviews for a more accurate representation of this film. So charming, so funny - clearly a low budget but it still won the AACTA award for best Indie film in Australia. I'm a good repressed queer so naturally obsessed with the English teacher.

Ellie & Abbie (& Ellie's Dead Aunt) (2020) is an Australian film written and directed by Monica Zanetti.

This is a teen coming-out story, with a twist. Ellie (Sophie Hawkshaw) would like to ask Abbie (Zoe Terakes) to the formal dance. However, she can't quite work up the nerve to do it.

That's where Ellie's dead Aunt Tara (Julia Billington) enters the picture (literally). Ellie can see and hear Tara, and so can we, but no one else can. Tara not only wants to help--she insists on helping. It turns out that if you tell anyone you're lesbian--which Ellie does--and if you have a dead aunt who was lesbian--as Tara was--your dead aunt can return and help you.(Whimsical, but it works in this movie.)

This twist makes the film better than other movies of its type. What makes the movie great is the incredible work done by Julia Billington as Tara. She's a young actor who lights up the screen. It's worth seeing the movie just to watch her at work.

We saw this movie as part of the great ImageOut Rochester LGBTQ Film Festival. (Virtual this year.) The movie has a strong IMDb rating of 7.4. I rated it 8.

Definitely one for your teens to see. A genuine story, told with warmth, heart and some laughs. The characters truly express teen behaviour, eye rolls, stomping and all. Laughter and tears - one to watch for sure!