Holly

After seeing the movie last night I was left with a sense of the hopelessness faced by organisations trying to tackle the problem the film portrays. The scale of the prostitution seems so large that it's hard to see how it can be defeated without major governmental changes in Cambodia.

Anyway, on with the review.

Although it is a sombre movie with an uncomfortable central relationship this is a very compelling film, and I'd even go so far as to say it was enjoyable. The film was well edited for the running time and the performance by Thuy Nguyen was excellent. I also felt Ron Livingston played a very difficult role well.

It would have been nice to have a little more insight into why Patrick feels he has to help Holly, but maybe the reason is a simple as he explains to Chris Penn's character. I won't explain it here - go see the movie.

This is a good, thought-provoking film with obviously good intentions. I hope it gets a wide enough release to reach a decent sized audience and gain more support for the K-11 Project.

"Holly" is an issue-driven film, but it is neither manipulative nor overly sentimental. At its heart is it is a character-driven film, which wouldn't be nearly so successful without the fleshed-out portrayals of Patrick (Ron Livingston), the lost soul with the gradually awakening conscience, and Holly (Thuy Nguyen), the strong-willed but ultimately over-matched young Vietnamese girl. From the vibrant locations and photography to the effective editing, everything is forthright and well-done. The contemporary classical score may put some off at first, but it is top-notch composition and underscores the admirable restraint which is evident throughout. This film, which raises many issues but provides few clear-cut answers, ultimately succeeds in raising awareness of and compassion for Holly and the many who share her plight. Kudos to those who managed to get it made.

Holly is one of those all too painfully real flicks about a child prostitution who's a dime a dozen, a piece of sweet meat, for sicko foreigners, and that includes at shocking turns in the movie, corrupt police figures. Holly is so helpless, you can't help get caught up in her misery with everyone against her. Caught up in his own demons, that has him hiding out, and not wanting to return to the states is Patrick (Livingston) who befriends her. Her savior becomes his personal mission, and when she's taken, cause she's spent too much time around him, he sets off to track her down, visiting seedy bordello after another. Holly is frank and confrontingly real, some scenes so true to life, from reading articles on the subject myself, of five year old kids approaching foreigners for sex. That one early scene, where's Patrick's lured down this lane behind a fence, by a boy where two 5 year old girls proposition him, made it all believable, like banging a nerve. Another scene has a high ranking cop official, cop a bit of the young stuff in a discreet appointment, where he steals Holly's virginity, was just heartbreaking, but this is reality in this cesspool of the Middle East. Too, another scene earlier, shows a heartless made, only too quick to slap her, when she fights her, was another shock point, as being sold to her by another bent pig. The film is beautifully shot, and has you riveted through it's 110 minutes. Holly's fate where trying to get her rehabilitated and out of the life is a revolving door, where for most, once you're in, you're in, beyond savior. Holly and the other older prostitutes are well acted, better than Livingstone, who I just found ordinary in the role. But the movie's plot path is well executed, and never loses it's edge. Holly will grow on you, while being one of the most affecting fictional/child prostitute characters to hit the screen, driven by a naturalistic engaging performance. Again too is that smiling Asian MF as one of the corrupt cops. Matrioshki 2, Elephant White, Trade Of Innocents, and this. Udo Kier adds some spice a kinky, and married foreigner, out to whet his whistle. One of Chris Penn's last flicks, who funnily enough, I first made out for a predator, here.

I had the privilege of watching "Holly" at the Edinburgh Film Festival last week. What a powerful and moving story! Holly is a 12 yr old Vietnamese girl who is sold into prostitution by her own family and living in a brothel in Cambodia. Patrick (an American) comes into Holly's life and decides he wants to help her. When Holly is sold again, Patrick desperately searches for her. We follow they're difficult journey through Cambodia and hope for their reunion.

Holly is one of millions of children who are sold and trafficked every day. The movie portrays this difficult issue without crossing the line. I walked away wanting to know more about the issue of child trafficking and asking how can I help? This movie should be seen by everyone because it is a beautiful story and it exposes an issue that we should no longer ignore.

Wow, this film had a huge impact on me, it moved me,. It is an amazing story about a girl in Cambodia who is sold into the sex trade. I can not stop thinking about the fate of the little girl named Holly. The setting of the film is realistic, The film was an eye opener, I can not imagine anyone walking away from it with out wanting to help make a change with this horrifying problem that exsists.

The content of the film was very very moving. It was one of the best films that I have seen this year. The

girl who plays Holly does a fantastic job with her character. Ron Livinston gives a fantastic performance. The film moved me to tears, It tells an important message that needs to be heard worldwide. Everyone should go see this film. I think this film will make a difference, I loved it!