Rollercoaster

Remember being a teenager? The feeling of isolation from everyone and everything? The certainty that things are as bad as they can get and they won't get any better? Scott Smith certainly does, and he uses that knowledge to make the film "rollercoaster" one of the most disturbingly realistic looks at adolescence since "Kids" and "Dazed and Confused" in the mid-'90's.

Darren, Chloe, Justin, Stick, and Sanj are five kids from a Vancouver group home who break into a theme park that's gone out of business and whose equipment is about to be auctioned off. The point of this is Darren and Chloe--pregnant with Darren's child--have made a suicide pact and want their friends to be there with them when they jump off the roller coaster. Justin--Darren's younger brother--and Stick--a sociopathic bully who is secretly in love with Darren--don't like this plan, but feel powerless to stop it.

And that's what this film is really about: feeling powerless. The only way that the suicides can be averted is if these kids express their feelings honestly. Darren needs to tell Chloe he loves her. Justin needs to tell Darren he needs a brother. Stick needs to tell someone he's gay. But these kids only know what they've learned in the group home: hippie-dippie psychobabble alternated with sexual abuse. And so they vandalize cars and drink and smoke pot and Stick beats people up and Justin draws cartoons and they all rail about the meaningless of life.

Because this is a debut film (and because it is from my native Canada), it is riddled with flaws: we never learn much about Sanj, and a subplot about a pedophile security guard just doesn't work. But this is an impressive debut from Scott Smith. Imagine what he could do with a budget (but only as long as he keeps in touch with his inner suicidal teenager)! 7 out of 10.

I'm a sucker for indie flicks and same person writer/director movies. There's less off the Hollywood tampering and making things "Good for the general public" and more heart and reality. Rollercoaster is pure heart - disturbed, angsty, and mildly depressing heart, but pure nonetheless.

MOST people aren't going to like this, aren't going to understand it, and aren't going to be able to grasp such a non-linear format. Some of those "most" won't be able to admit that this could very well be reality, because it doesn't fit into the wonderbubble that is their lives. I'm not most people, I loved it.

The cinematography was beautiful, editing - brilliant, characters (aside from Sanj, admittedly) were exceptionally well developed. I knew those kids growing up.

Brendan Fletcher, though obnoxious in the beginning (his character calls for it, he was playing it well) throws out one of the most heartwrenching lines of the movie with such simple depth and emotion that it gives you chills.

Kett Turton deserves just as much praise playing the one hiding the most from the world. You can see it on his face, but you can't. He's a million people in one, putting on masks to please the people around him, when he's the one that's the most in pain.

It's not for everyone, and it doesn't end the way you want it to. This movie isn't handed to you on a silver platter like most Hollywood flicks - you're given a spork, and some salad tongs, and you have to use your brain to figure out how to cut the prime rib into bite sized edible pieces. But if you're like me, you like a challenge in a good movie.

Not a disaster pic, not teensplatter fare nor a 3-D actioner, "rollercoaster" is a surprising ride about five very real kids who in one day at a closed-down fair come to terms with the everything that is wrong in their lives. Director Scott Smith turns a good tale here and gets his best performance from the explosive Brendan Fletcher, an actor to watch.

"rollercoaster" got great buzz at the Toronto Film Fest, won Most Popular Canadian feature at the Vancouver Film Fest, Best Canadian Feature at the Victoria Independent Film Fest and is nominated for a Leo award, along with Fletcher and Turton each for Best Actor.

**** Roller Coaster **** 7.5/10 Starring: Brendan Fletcher, Kett Turton, Crystal Buble, Brent Glenen, Sean Amsing, David Lovegren

Plot: A Group of teens jump the fence of a defunct amusement park with a plan to end it all. Love stories, surprises and great acting ensues.

Not everyone is going to like this movie. Most people will, in fact, hate it. Its fairly slow, a little boring at times, and has unknowns as the leads. But it has one redeeming factor that makes it all worthwhile: Its so true. Every last bit is like its taken from the life of the average city teenager. Every parent should see this to know whats going on in their child's head.

The Acting is incredible. All except Sean Amsing. Hes just bad. But Brendan Fletcher should go far in his career. A Homosexual homophobic. Its an oxymoron and he plays it like a pro. He denies his feelings, but knows they are there. Crystal Buble's character could have been played by almost any young female actress, and the part about her being a slut wasn't that believable, but the rest rocked!

The character that stood out for me was Darrin (Kett Turton) He was so....disturbed. You could tell what he was really thinking on his face, even when he didn't express it with actions.

This is not a Hollywood fluff movie. It definitely does not have the romantic Hollywood ending, it is depressing, and if you don't watch every minute you wont know exactly what is going on. But if you want a quality movie about real life things then this is a great choice!

7.5/10

Overall a good movie. However, not a movie to take a first time date to. If you do, you might not feel very cheery for the rest of the evening. Think of it as a movie to reflect on. This is not for wimps, or people with real emotional problems.