Ellen Page
Maxwell McCabe-Lokos
Critical consensus:
**1/2 out of *****
Matt's Take:
Has Not Viewed
Mikey @ The Movies Official Rating:
***1/2 out of *****
The premise:
15-year-old Tracey Berkowitz is naked under a shower curtain at the back of a bus, looking for her little brother Sonny, who thinks he's a dog.
MY REVIEW
15-year-old Tracey Berkowitz is naked under a shower curtain at the back of a bus, looking for her little brother Sonny, who thinks he's a dog.
MY REVIEW
This is a film almost no one knows about; I wasn't aware of it until Netflix recommended it to me, so I checked it out. I'm glad I did. Tracey Fragments is not a film for everyone. It may only appeal to a very select few film buffs, like me I guess. The story is pretty dark and depressing, and no character is happy. The mood of the film is very morose and unnerving. You could say that the screenplay is pretty average and standard for an indie drama. However, it is in the filmaking where we get the films true unique quality.
Some films would not work as well if it wasn't as unique in style. Take for instance one of my all time favorite films, Memento. The film is a basic crime thriller story, but the film is told completely and literally backwards. We start at the end of the story and end at the start. A brilliant film. Here the film isn't told backwards, but is shot in fragments pieces...quite litterally The Tracey Fragments. Theres a screencap below to demonstrate the films look. Sometimes we get 2 squares, sometimes up to 30 or more it seemed like. These fragmented squares constantly move around. It beautifully captures the essence of the film and it's main character. The fragments are a very metaphorical device that I thought worked wonderfully. It made the film a 3 1/2 star film for me.
Pretty much the only star of the film is Oscar nominee Ellen Page (Juno, Smart People). I always figured she's be typecast as the smart ass teenager, but she proved me wrong here. Yes, she's still playing a teen, but a much more dark and sinister and deeply disturbed young girl. Her peformance is excellent, one of the best female performances of the year by far. You feel so bad for her, but also feel angry towards her at some points. Very good job at depicting this character.
If you happen to see this little known film on Netflix or at blockbuster, I would pick it up...to those who take a liking to independent dramas. If not for the story, check it out for Page's performance and just the overall uniqueness of it all.
Some films would not work as well if it wasn't as unique in style. Take for instance one of my all time favorite films, Memento. The film is a basic crime thriller story, but the film is told completely and literally backwards. We start at the end of the story and end at the start. A brilliant film. Here the film isn't told backwards, but is shot in fragments pieces...quite litterally The Tracey Fragments. Theres a screencap below to demonstrate the films look. Sometimes we get 2 squares, sometimes up to 30 or more it seemed like. These fragmented squares constantly move around. It beautifully captures the essence of the film and it's main character. The fragments are a very metaphorical device that I thought worked wonderfully. It made the film a 3 1/2 star film for me.
Pretty much the only star of the film is Oscar nominee Ellen Page (Juno, Smart People). I always figured she's be typecast as the smart ass teenager, but she proved me wrong here. Yes, she's still playing a teen, but a much more dark and sinister and deeply disturbed young girl. Her peformance is excellent, one of the best female performances of the year by far. You feel so bad for her, but also feel angry towards her at some points. Very good job at depicting this character.
If you happen to see this little known film on Netflix or at blockbuster, I would pick it up...to those who take a liking to independent dramas. If not for the story, check it out for Page's performance and just the overall uniqueness of it all.
CURRENT MIKEY @ THE MOVIES AWARD NOMINATIONS:
- Best Performance by an Actress in a Leading Role (Ellen Page)
To view this films theatrical trailer, click this link: Tracey Fragments
*This is the 83rd new film I've seen and reviewed this year.*This film is now on DVD.
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