La vie secrète de Zoey

I think this is the first time i have ever commented on a movie and given it below average ratings. I found 1) Julia Whelan totally adorable, 2) Mia Farrow pretty unbelievable, 3) Andrew McCarthy totally unnecessary. Other than that, this was such a terrible script, I'm surprised they could make anything out of it. Totally canned after-school special. I should not watch anymore Lifetime Original movies, I think.

Julia Whelan is a model teenager. She volunteers in an old folks' home, gets straight A's in school, and has a great relationship with both her divorced parents, Mia Farrow and Cliff De Young. But that's just on the surface. Underneath it all, Julia sneaks out to go to parties, shoplifts, goes out with a bad boy, and takes drugs. Hence the title of this Lifetime TV movie.

The Secret Life of Zoey is a pretty typical TV movie, rather like the "disease of the week" movies in the 1990s. My favorite part was Andrew McCarthy playing Julia's counselor. He used a great combination of tough love and compassion, making him the most realistic character. If you particularly like mild movies about teenage drug abuse, you can pop this one in on a Saturday with your book club group. There's nothing really offensive in it; it feels like the type of film high schools show kids to scare them away from doing drugs.

Being friends with someone who experienced the trauma of a child addicted to hard drugs, I found this movie totally believable. Mia Farrow gives an excellent performance as the mother asking "Where did I go wrong?" as all mothers do when a child, shows a serious lack of responsibility. Yes, a parent would be in denial, and take a "Not my child" attitude at first but coming to terms with the problem would make every effort to overcome it. This film has a more or less optimistic ending but the sad truth is that the majority of addicts tend to relapse after rehabilitation. The suppliers and enablers ought to be locked up under the supervision of their victims' mothers.

Zoey Carter (Julia Whelan) is the beloved sixteen years old daughter of Marcia Carter (Mia Farrow), who has recently divorced from her husband Larry Carter (Cliff De Young). Zoey feels too much the separation of her parents, and has Kayla (Katharine Isabelle) as her best friend. While temporarily working in the hairdresser saloon of her friend Mimi (Caroline Aaron), Marcia is trying to find a job to support her family. She is very proud of her daughter, who seems to be a very responsible teenager, since she is a good student, she has her own car and she voluntarily works in an old folk's home. However, Zoey has a hidden personality, and she eventually uses drugs, stealing pills and money from her parents to buy weed. When Zoey meets the handsome student and drug dealer Ron (Michael Coristine), she is induced by him to shoplift to buy heavy drugs with him. She fails in her trial, and the guy gives free drugs to addict her. When she has an OD, she is sent to a psychiatric treatment with Dr. Mike Harper (Andrew McCarthy). "The Secret Life of Zoey" is a good and very real dramatic story that may happen with teenagers in any family. The cast is very well selected, with Mia Farrow excellent as usual, in the role of a mother that becomes lost when she finds the other side of the personality of her daughter. Julia Whelan is amazing, with her angelical face, in the role of a teenager with a secret behavior on the back of her mother. The rendition of her character in the end of the story makes an optimistic end, but I have nothing against it. There is one particular dialog in this movie that I liked a lot between Marcia and Mike. Marcia wants to know her mistake in raising Zoey, and Mike replies that it is among ten thousand others mistakes. A great truth in a non-perfect world in a movie with a good message. My vote is seven.

Title (Brazil): "A Vida Secreta de Uma Adolescente" ("The Secret Life of an Adolescent")

Julia Whalen as Zooey, a young girl who gets caught up in drugs. ..."everyone has them, Mom"..., she tells her mother (Mia Farrow) they help me study, then when I need to crash, after taking an exam.

What is good about this film is it does not sugar-coat or deny the reality. Zooey ends up in the ER; her mother finally realizes the extent of her daughter's problem.

Cliff DeYoung, a familiar face as the father, who is ineffectual. His daughter stays over one night, when he has some anonymous girlfriend over. He and Farrow are divorced; he tries to placate his daughter. After being grounded without driving or cell phone privileges, her father buys her a new cell phone she can use it in her car.

This film adequately shows the predicament parents have today; while not wanting to be the "bad guy" some parents may overcompensate and give the kid whatever he or she wants; this is no solution either.

Julia Whelan is very good as Zooey, not overplayed; just another kid wanting to fit in with friends, at first. This film shows that this is a very serious problem, with no easy solutions. 8/10.