American Girl

Film is an interesting blend.

A "boss girl" type film, the protagonist even has the typical sassy inner monologue.

However the movie has an incredibly nuanced portrayal of a woman who has suffered serious trauma.

Many films portray victims as weathered survivors.

This film shows the victim as extremely put-together and successful.

It's a take I haven't seen before, and it's definitely one that is good to see.

The movie uses two incredibly sensitive topics as plot devices, if the movie was any lesser, it would have trivilalized those topics.

But the unrelenting nature of the portrayals of those topics only adds to the movie to show what the protagonist has overcome.

My advice is to go into this movie with no expectation... in other words, stop reading the reviews! Lol! I think the lack of expectations makes this movie the masterpiece that it is. -- Luckiest Girl Alive, what a great movie!!! The third person dialogue really nudges this movie beyond great in my opinion. Couldn't have chosen a better actress for this role. Mila is amazing as always! The mystery of "what happened" is executed so well. Revealing small pieces of the puzzle without revealing the full plot was executed wonderfully. I truly wasn't sure what direction the movie was going to go in. The direction it did end up going was unexpected and dark, and it was done so well. Sadly it's very relatable being a young woman. The trauma she lives with and the person she turns herself into is exactly what survivors go through every day. And the "villain" in this movie, is so typical... I highly recommend this movie, and if you're able to watch it with a boyfriend or a brother, even better!

The book was a million times more (not better; apples and oranges) than the movie. I don't think it's fair to expect 1.5 hours to do it justice. I can't give an unbiased review if the movie after reading the book so the movie was decent but the depth and development in the book deserves a mini series. Without the buildup, background, and character development some of the story seems incomplete and really paints a better picture of surviving/victimhood. I worry that it became more of a message than a quality story. That being said, the casting for Ani and Luke (especially) was great! I think it's a movie worth watching if you haven't read the book.

Knoll should stick to writing books, not screenplays. In the convoluted, incohesive and dragged out 113 minute runtime, the story is all over the place, with poorly placed timeline tidbits, and ridiculous and mostly unnecessary scenes and dialogue.

The entire film felt one hour too long and failed to maintain any fluidity to the sensitive nature of its content. It lacked the consistency, depth and tone to be a suspenseful narrative, and instead, chose pretentious shock value trauma in a misguided self-serving fantasy theme.

And that's too bad, because the casting and performances were spot-on, especially Kunis who shined. Had any seasoned filmmaker made some much needed edits, they would've have gone a long way to make this a great watch, instead of getting impatient, frustrated and uninterested in what was going to happen next in the bender-mixed writing and directing. It's a generous 6/10 mainly for the performances.

I have to say, I had my fair share of the doubt during the first 30 minutes or so, because it started off as a typical rom com with a quirky protagonist.

But I'm glad I gave it a chance, because once it picks up, it's done masterfully. I was afraid at some point it would slide to "who done it" kind of a thriller, but fortunately that never happened.

That is not to say there isn't mystery. It's just properly balanced, so it never feels over the top. Characters are believable and much more nuanced than you typically get in this type of dramas.

We all heard a stories like this, but they are rarely explored respectfully and without going over the top. However, this movie manages to do it.

I'm glad the writers didn't go for twists and turns, but stayed true to the message they wanted to deliver. And it is a message we all need to hear.