In We Are The Mods director E.E.Cassidy offers a sincere,honest and heartfelt rites of passage tale depicting the search for acceptance,friendship and love amongst a group of teenagers in Los Angeles. The film also explores the idea of using 1960's fashion and imagery as a work of art and a source of creative inspiration.
Adulthood beckons for the main character Sadie (Melia Renee) as she attempts to avoid her immature peer group in high school and achieve her academic ambitions. She finds herself drawn to Nico (Mary Elise Hayden)-an aloof,stylish yet self-destructive acquaintance who introduces Sadie to her bohemian lifestyle on the Mod scene.
Sadie is absorbed into the world of 1960's nostalgia,partying and drug use whilst experiencing the bittersweet emotions which affect all teenagers. Her friendships develop into expressions of bi-sexuality bringing about complex,conflicting feelings of excitement,guilt and confusion.As these relationships become strained,Sadie is faced with a moral dilemma.
The director chooses to focus on character development and an authentic portrayal of suburban teenage life which may be universally recognised by the audience,especially the desperate need to be "cool" and a desire to find an escape route from a dreary,mundane family environment.
Though the ending is not entirely happy,it is not necessarily pessimistic.Sadie ultimately learns to assert her own independence as she realises that she is more likely to find fulfillment pursuing her art and an interest in Mod culture rather than volatile,fickle relationships.
The attractive lead actors give engaging performances which attract our sympathy and compassion,capturing the vulnerability of tortured teenagers struggling to comprehend life and love.
Hopefully E.E.Cassidy has created a work of lasting art,one that will not fade into obscurity.It may be that just as Sadie was inspired by 1960's Mod culture,viewers of this film will be stimulated and encouraged to further their interest in low budget independent cinema.
Mention must go to the excellent soundtrack which includes songs by The Jam,The Small Faces,The Selecter,Belle And Sebastian,Edwin Starr and Fleur De Lys amongst others.
