The themes of this film are similar to those of Fish Tank (2009). Both films tell the story of working-class girls of 14 or 15 years old in transition from child-hood to woman-hood. In Fish Tank the girl lives with her single mother and they routinely argue; in Crackie the girl (Mitsy) lives with her single grand-mother and they routinely argue. Both characters seem to have limited financial resources and life opportunities - and unsatisfactory relationships with men who treat them with a lack of respect.
The settings of the two films are, however, very different. Crackie is set in a small community in rural Canada. The buildings are drab and so is the climate but the rural landscapes are expansive and serene.
I found the characters' behaviour and the film as a whole utterly believable. I enjoyed the wilderness setting too - but the film revealed, I think, much more about life in rural Newfoundland than I would learn if I were to actually travel there myself.
Only one of the characters is a man. I enjoyed Fish Tank very much indeed and I enjoyed Crackie at least as much. The main attraction, for me, was the insights it offered into womens' motivations.
