Late Bloomer

"Late Bloomer" is probably one of the most profoundly unique and clever films I have seen in the past decade. Director Craig Macneill's portrayal of a middle school sexual education class is not only authentic and courageous, it is also incredibly hilarious. There is a true vision at work here and it shows in the end product. This is a very well produced and directed film. The cinematography is striking and everything from kids remarkable performances (the main character is fantastic) to the wonderfully odd voice over of narrator Clay McLeod Chapman makes this film a real treasure. I highly recommend this film and this filmmaker.

This film is included on a DVD entitled "The Short Stack: Volume 1" and is a compilation of six short films.

The idea of making a short film that makes fun of a sex education class is a rather clever idea--especially when the class if conducted by a scary sex-less old matron like they had in this film. I loved when she showed the class a diagram of the ovaries and made it look and sound like something from a 1950s horror film. The problem, though, is that from there the film really did not pay off--mostly because it lacked subtlety or finesse. As a result, the film lost most of its punch and just seemed goofy and sensationalistic with all its gyrating and its inexplicable conclusion. I would have much preferred that instead of the film going WAAAY off the deep end and losing all sense of proportion that it instead would have pursued the idea of how confusing and scary this crazy teacher made sex seem. Then it could have been a film we could have all related to and enjoyed with a sense of "Oh,...I've been there!".

I saw the short film at the CineVegas Int'l Film Festival in June 2004. I found it to be a unique, well-done and darkly hilarious work. The visuals were impressive, the camera work was skillful, and even the peculiar narration lent a lively and bizarre touch. Each scene appeared well thought out, well choreographed, and well captured. I thought that the classroom scenes depicting fevered pubescent incantations and ritualistic performances were quite funny and lent a comical perspective on our shared, probably painful, memories of the middle school sexual education curriculum. Director Craig Macneill has a nice creative vision, a well-crafted sense of humor, and an off-beat perspective, and demonstrates it all here.

I had the good fortune to see this film at the H.P. Lovecraft film festival a year or so ago when it was presented by the writer, who also performed the monologue on stage. Although it probably isn't for everyone, this is a fun little movie which explores sexual horror in an original and (disturbingly) funny way. The director has done a marvelous job of working with a group of very young actors and really getting good solid performances out of them. I do regret not having purchased the DVD when I had the chance. Late Bloomer is a rare film which manages to horrify us, fascinate us, and make us laugh all at the same time.

This is a gem! It captures a boy's experience of erotic awakening and, thank goodness, with humor. In these dark times for boys, this is so refreshing. All the young actors can't avoid be natural. How the director managed this is a tribute to his skill. He seemed to find a representative of types of kids all over the country. I laughed out loud watching it and couldn't resist going back to watch it again--and again. It becomes more interesting with every viewing. The portrayal of angry adults overseeing the birth of sexuality in these early adolescents says a great deal about the mixed messages society sends kids about this part of their lives. The boys and the girls are equally awed by what they sense and are beginning to feel. As a psychology teacher at a liberal arts college, I bought it to use in my "Psychology of Men" class, which ends with a discussion of boyhood. Bravo!