This film by Canadian film-maker Ingrid Veninger is a first-rate depiction of teenage emotions and behaviour, beautifully set in the small Slovakian town of Modra. The director may have taken advantage of family members to save costs, but there was no adverse affect on the quality of the acting, especially with the female lead, Hallie Switzer (the director's daughter).
The film accurately and poignantly portrays the impulsiveness - and the sometimes cruelty - of teenage emotions. Never cliché, the plot at all times comes across as plausible and very real. It brought back for me the excruciating and exhilarating moments of self-discovery, especially the painful ones of immature behaviour. This is no John Hughes story of teenagers.
And the use of the European setting of Modra brought an added dimension to the story. So often a foreign location is used merely as a plot device to get characters out of their home environment, but in this case the town of Modra and its inhabitants added complexity and an authenticity to the story.
I first saw the film in 2010 and recently watched the film for a second time. Modra is worth repeat screenings!
