A venerable classic theme for a movie is the coming of age story. There is just something about a story that follows a young person embarking on the arduous journey of self discovery. After all it is a part of life that we all had to go through in our own lives allowing us to identify with the protagonist. This turns out to be a two edged sword since the very elements that makes this genre identifiable to the audience creates an extreme high expectation with those watching. The themes explored here reach a personal level running the risk of tipping over into the realm of the overly melodramatic. This is not necessarily a negative for this specific type of movie. There are times when any of us can use a film with some heavy handed emotional content if for no other reason than to get away from the trials and tribulations of real life. An example of this can be found in the flick ‘According to Greta’ or as it is sometimes referred to simply ‘Greta’. This little independent movie makes more than a few missteps along the way but I have to admit that personally I found that just added to the heart projected by the movie. The technical flaws of the film nicely reflect the emotional turmoil of the young woman lost in her own self discovery. Sure the film comes off as a Lifetime wannabe but its okay; there is a place for this in the world of cinema. This is a piece of experimental by relatively new film makers just starting out on their chosen careers. Like the charter of Greta they are uncertain of what lies ahead going through a good deal of trial and error to get there. The result is a reasonably well directed film with a script that is able to provide the basis for a set of strong performances.

Michael Gilvary has some prior experience as a writer mostly short thrillers moving up a character driven feature length film with this opus. Right off I have to note there are enough sappy moments to make for an afterschool movie. There is also predictability to the story that at times is difficult to get past. This is a case where it is not the destination that matters but the events and situations that you encounter along the way. The author has to find some other hook to set the movie apart and here it is the setting of the New Jersey shore that helps provide the right flavor. After a life time in Brooklyn I recently moved to New Jersey so it was interesting to see some of the more notable areas of my new state. There is a firmly enforced dichotomy created between the conservative, retirement oriented Ocean Grove and the more youthful unstructured Asbury Park. Once again this offers a real, visual reinforcement of what Greta is going through. The required check list is addressed each element in its proper turn. Generation gap, first romance and teen angst blow-out all addressed right on queue.

Another Indy newcomer Nancy Bardawil directs with a lot of nascent style and ability. The one place that goes off track a bit is the over use of the animated interstitial shots relating the action to some of the fanciful drawings or writings in Greta’s journal. I understand where Bardawil is coming from and applaud her methodology but I personally found this geared the film more towards the tween set that the older teen and adult audience it so richly deserved. The message here is important enough not to risk artificially restricting the target demographic. What this technique is able to do besides the distraction is to visualized the still very active juvenile side of Greta’s personality. There is an inconsistency between the colorful almost childish drawings she makes in her most private source of expression and a darkly depressed young woman listing methods to commit suicide.

Seventeen year old Greta (Hillary Duff) is a pretty girl with a very dark affect about her. Her mother considers her more trouble than she is willing to put up with and ships her off the New Jersey to spend the summer with her grandparents, Katherine (Ellen Burstyn) and Joseph (
Michael Murphy). Greta breezes off the bus with a huge chip on her shoulder and her ever present journal tired to her wrist. One of the first discussions she has with the grandparent is how she is compiling a list of potential ways to kill herself. While this is obviously more for the shock value than actual plan her Grandmother takes it in stride. When Greta demands spending money from Joseph Katherine informs her that while she is living there rules will be enforced. One of them is if the girl wants money she had better find a job. She walks into town and practically bullies her way into a waitressing job at a local seafood restaurant. She is obnoxious and ruse but somehow manages to be a success. On the job she meets one of the cooks, Julie (Evan Ross). Flirting quickly escalates and soon a budding summer romance develops. Problems creep in when the grandparent discover that the young man has a criminal record for stealing cars and learned to cook in prison. The film revels in its flaws allowing the audience enjoys something with the ring of honesty about it. Ms Duff is moving into her film career with a planned track that has been allowing her to carefully hone her acting skills. Instead of taking the ill fate path so many pop princesses have taken demanding lead roles far beyond what they are capable of performing. Duff moved up the rungs of acting with smaller roles and those that will stretch their range. \in this case the former tween queen become a girl with one of the most gruff and unlikeable veneer possible. What I found so intriguing about the film is how the story depicts the emotional cracks in her armor forming allowing Greta to finally love and be loved. I look forward to what this writer and director have in store next.