Picture Day

Now here's an insightful little teen film that gets the angst of coming- of-age without having to resort to the same old clichés. "Picture Day" from promising first-time filmmaker Kate Melville is a sensitive portrayal concerning a couple of teens going about the daily grind.

The reckless, wannabe rebel Claire (Tatiana Maslany), forced to attend an extra year of high school, befriends the socially awkward Henry; a boy she used to babysit years earlier. Claire is unaware of their history at first, but Henry isn't, and in fact has never abandoned his long standing, secretly obsessive crush.

"Picture Day" is well written and unpredictable, but it is the terrific work of Maslany (a revelation on TV's "Orphan Black") that makes the film succeed. She's a quirky, natural performer and at 28 somehow plays a high schooler with utter conviction. Her character is flawed, brash, but realistically drawn and we root and sympathize with her. Melville rests a lot on Maslany's performance to great results.

The plot goes some places that don't really work, and some scenes are in need of a good trimming, but this is never the less a rarity in the teen genre; one that favors character development, leisurely pacing, and no easy answers.

This is smart, good-natured indie fare with a terrific performance at it's center. It's imperfect sure, but memorable and well worth seeking out.

So much of this movie's charm comes from its cast, who are all super likable, especially the lead. But it's also got really great storytelling, with a lot of understated moments and implications you have to piece together yourself. Breezy and moody and recommended to anyone who likes these chill sorts of movies.

Tatiana wants to hang out with a much older musician, no wait, she is suddenly interested in the younger guy she used to babysit, making him her pet project. What's interesting is seeing her character's layers and defences peel away, little by little. No question we're watching a Canadian film here. And yes, that's a good thing.

I was going to skip this movie because it sounded like yet another in a long stream of lame teen movies, but then I saw that Tatiana Maslany was the lead. Based on her stunning performances in Orphan Black, I decided to give it a chance and I'm glad I did.

Both Maslany and Spencer Van Wyck play roles much younger than their actual ages, but they are both completely believable. Their performances raise this otherwise common story into something much better.

Tatiana Maslany of 'Orphan Black' stars as Claire Paxton, a rebellious teen forced to repeat her senior year of high school. She is look down upon as a school outsider with a questionable reputation. She becomes a friend, mentor, and an object of desire to Henry who is also a quiet outsider she used to babysit as a child. On the other hand, she is sexually involved with Jim, the 30-something front man for the funk band, the ElastoCitizens.

This is a coming of age story not just for Henry but also for Claire. They're both amazing in this great little indie movie, but Tatiana is the one that breaks out as a true movie star. She is both magnetic and vulnerable in this role.