the year my voice broke

1988 ****1/2 103 mins.

The one word I can really use to describe this film is . . . frustrating. While watching this film about two friends who discover their budding sexuality, I couldn't help but be frustrated at every turn the girl took. The guy she falls for is so frustratingly dorky, that I find it hard to believe that she'd fall for him. The fact that they do intimate sexual stuff in front of the main character (who has stong feelings for the girl) is more than frustrating. No movie has ever stuck in my mind as much as this one has. This film really grabbed at my emotions and held on tightly, which is what makes it so great. Above all, though, it's very frustrating that I can't give this film five stars. The film is shot way to fast. It's like no shot lasts longer than ten secons, and no scene lasts longer than a minute. Also, it feels almost like a made for TV film. Either way, this is still a wonderful coming-of-age film that actually makes sense, and is actually a good film, when most films of the sort today are just smut. This film one five Austrailian Film Awards, including Best Picture.
Rated PG-13 for language and sexual content.