American Girl

This is one of the better coming-of-age movies you probably have never seen. It's a real gem of a movie.

It's not easy to watch, that's for sure. There isn't a high-functioning person in the bunch but just about all of them have some redeeming qualities.

It's downright painful, at points, but even the bad characters manage to endear themselves to the viewer.

I grew up in the "white trash" culture and this movie has the ring of truth, to me. The characters in this movie certainly have their counterparts in the real world I come from! When watching the movie, it never occurred to me that the director was insinuating that all low-income people or southerners are like this. Just one very interesting family.

If you like to find hidden film gems, be sure to rent or TiVo "Amerian Girl." I just love these low-budget movies that are more powerful than the mega-million dollar movies.

The needy teenager Rena Grubb (Jena Malone) lives with her dysfunctional family of losers in a trailer park. The most popular boy in her school is dating her only for sex, and does not want to be seen with her. Her brother Jay (Brad Renfro) is gay; her older half-sister Barbie (Alicia Witt) is a bitch; and her mother Madge (Michelle Forbes) works hard in several low-qualification jobs to raise money to support her family. Rena is asking her mother to go to the annual picnic with her beloved missing low-fife father John Grubb (Chris Mulkey), who is in prison sentenced to two life sentences. Rena is pregnant and collects the cards her father sends to her from the prison. When Madge decides to go with her family to the picnic, and along the day, the family finds how mean and nasty John is, shattering the dreams of Rena with her father.

"Confessions of an American Girl" is a weird movie, with a genre oscillating between a heavy drama and a very dark comedy. The cast is excellent with great performances, highlighting Jena Malone in the role of a complex needy girl that wishes to be loved and worships her father, but in the end she discovers the truth about him. Alicia Witt is extremely sexy, her character is despicable and her performance is so good that Barbie irritated me in many moments with her mean attitude. My vote is six.

Title (Brazil): "Confissões de uma Garota Americana" ("Confessions of an American Girl")

I really liked this film. However, as I stated above, if you're from the south and have a sense of humor, then you are given the permission to watch this film with open arms, otherwise, don't watch this film if you're going to find it too offensive. Alright ya'll?

The Grubb family is the epitome of American trash---they don't have the proper education nor ambition to drive them out of their downbeat trailer-house, daisy dukes and cold slurpees. The plot narration revolves around Rena Grubb (Jena Malone) and her low-incomed family living somewhere in the South. The Grubb's are invited to attend a annual picnic to go see their father. Later on the audience finds out that this "annual picnic" is set up for criminal offenders.

If one word were to describe this film, it would be "trailer", and I think everyone who has been continuously watching Indy films with Brad Renfro and Jena Malone in it definitely knows what that means. I don't think anyone should be surprised with the content. Yes there is self-cutting, sex, teen pregnancy and drugs in it (done by the one and only Alicia Witt of course) I give props to whoever made up the jingle to: "Welcome back Jay, welcome back Jay, welcome back Jay Jay Jr."---this song defines the whole movie and shall go down in history in my book.

8/10

"American Girl" is a wonderful movie about the girl Rena (played by Jena Malone from Donnie Darko) who lives with her family in a trailer. She has to hide when she's with her boyfriend so nobody sees him with her, and her father is in prison for life. After various attempts to kill herself, she decides to visit her father in prison to tell him the news: she is pregnant...

The film is funny in a tragic sort of way, and it takes up some serious issues in life. Very recommendable.

I am a huge fan of Jena Malone and all of her movies and this is no exception. If you like drama then you will love it. There is also that little bit of very clever humor in it that makes it that much more enjoyable. One of the best things about the movie is the whole concept of the theme(s). Disappointment, acceptance, and family. Sometimes, you don't get what it is you're expecting to get. You have to see people for who they are and trust the people who have always been there for you and have your best interests at heart. This movie does not relate to everyone. Not everyone grew up in a trailer park. Not everyone's father is in jail. Not everyone has the same kind of problems and emotions that Jena Malone's character has. But I don't think the movie is supposed to relate to everyone. You can interpret the message any way you want, but what I get out of it is that whatever problems you have in your life, there is a way to make it better. See Confessions of an American Girl. Even if you don't get any message out of it, it is still a great movie.