This Intelligent British 'Reality' movie speaks to the angst of female adolescence, amidst alienation, poverty, and single parent homes. Love is confused and unrequited. Sex is wrong, and barely comprehended. Friendship is everything, and there is delight in this sharing of life's moments. Delight in the simple fact that the sharing of life's moments gives them enough meaning, to turn them into memories to treasure. Money can't buy this quality of life, and in fact, it's the lack of money and familial security, that brings the living into such keen focus. The variables are reduced to simple basics, so choice is limited to deal or no deal. There's a typically restrained British whimsy about this story, but also a refreshingly bright vision, with pastel shades of surrealism. The two female characters create their own life-pod thought-bubble to insulate them from the troubles in their lives, and this IS the story, and the secret of it's power to captivate. Writer Sarah Quintrell richly deserved the accolades and awards for her writing work in Ellen, and clearly she found a huge advocate and ally in Director - Mahalia Belo; who along with Producer - Ben Bickerton, may just have created a sublimely subtle, future British classic. The magic is in the blend of story and characters. Jessica Barden's (Ellen), fire and rage is perfect chemistry for Yasmin Monet Prince's (Kayla) calm and warmth. Both are wise souls, but suffering loss and tragedy from different enough angles to understand, yet still support each other. This is a tender and sweet telling of adventure in the face of vulnerability, and hope in the faces of the broken hearted. Simply Lovely.
