Synopsis
Beth, a bookish teenager, befriends Emilia, an aspiring novelist who has just arrived in town. Emilia soon begins an affair with Beth's father that threatens to have devastating consequences.
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Cast
- Jessica Brown FindlayEmelia
- Harry TreadawayJake
- Josef AltinDave
- Felicity JonesBeth Fischer
- Julia OrmondJoa
- Justin EdwardsPoliceman
- Sebastian KochJonathan
- Peter VaughanGrandpa
- Hazel DouglasGranny
- Thomas Brodie-SangsterMark
Recommendations
- 70
The New York Times
Niall MacCormick's direction, while unfocused, locates a sweet center in the bonding of the two young girls, effortlessly capturing the way unexpected friendship, like first love, can completely alter the look of the world. - 60
Empire
A startling performace from Findlay doesn't quite make up for a disappointing third act. - 60
Variety
Brown Findlay, reportedly cast before she filmed "Downton Abbey," is a real find. Germany's Koch suggests astute fishing beyond the obvious casting pools, and Ormond clearly relishes her change-of-pace role as tough, casually profane Joa. - 50
Village Voice
By the time a disillusioned, grimly deflowered Beth leaves for school wearing her ex-friend's "I Put Out" T-shirt, tonal whiplash has eaten up the pleasures of this otherwise well-cast, evocatively shot small-town trifle. - 50
Time
The performances are compelling (although Jones is underused) but the thin narrative is less instructive of the strange way female friendships operate than of the way stories get recycled. - 42
Entertainment Weekly
Trite lessons are learned. Plotlines play out in familiar arcs. A few blips of sex and drug use aim to make the movie feel more grown-up. Instead, they make it off-limits to the only age group likely to find any charm in its smug Britcom cutesiness. - 40
Time Out
Innocence is lost - as well as 90 minutes of your precious, precious time. - 40
NPR
It's a shame that the film comes across like an awkward and ingratiating teenager, given that the two performances at its core are so winning.
