04/08/2012

Electrick Children



Even the fade-in from the first scene is so deftly and eerily curated that you'll be hooked from the first look, the halting and squeaky sounds of an old tape recorder coming into play as we hear the unusual marriage of prayer, confession and (somewhat) modern technology. Julia Garner plays Rachel in Rebecca Thomas' quietly captivating tale of a Mormon girl whose naivety and childish wonder lead her to interpret her bible readings mixed with her mother's stories into the idea that she has undergone an immaculate conception. Confused, but with a mix of steely conviction and hope, she drives to the heady lights of Las Vegas, thrown into a world of 1990s headbanging punk, busking guitarists, and skate parks. With her brother (anyone else recognise Liam Aiken, all grown up since Stepmom?), she traverses the streets in search for the father of her unborn child, learns how to use the word cool, and pines after a bite of beefburger and pizza.

Rory Culkin plays Clyde, the jaded antithesis to Rachel's character in experience, and yet they meet at the same transition from childhood to adolescence, a vast world of the unknown. Their confusion over love, life, and perhaps theology (although really, religion doesn't play a particularly controversial role in this film), breaks out in unexpected ways: a snarky comment, silent tears, or searching glances.

Stylistically, it reminded me of The Curve of Forgotten Things (see below), the stillness, the middle-of-nowhereness, the prairie, the untouched, the wispy blonde on the cusp of discovering the world. An ankle-length, heavy lace dress, blush pink, buttoned to the neck, worn with dirty white boots, plaited hair, & a pair of plastic red heart-shaped sunglasses: Rachel looks like she could have stepped off a Courtney Love album art, a Vogue editorial, or a Topshop campaign, all at once.

An address to Juergen Teller or Ellen von Unwerth: please, please photograph this girl, perhaps in Miu Miu, a little Rodarte, or some dreamy Alice Temperly gown, and atop her head a crown of wilted roses ..






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5 comments:

Unknown said...

now i'm definitely interested in checking this out after this stellar review. sure as hell hope its on netflix! hooked to what you wrote:)


xx
eden
www.chicinthetropics.com

EMA said...

This is a great review and I love your writing style! I think I may have to check this out one day!

http://www.themirroronthewall.com/

kiss me quick said...

wow, your blog is so pretty and inspiring ^^

just lovely!



xxx
kissmequick

Eatlovemerry said...

Such a lovely blog! x

Camila Faria said...

I can't wait to see this movie. Thanks for the tip!

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