somehope Blue Car is not as classic as Truffaut's "The 400 Blows", but it may be a distant relative about how a teenager is trapped by circumstances beyond his or her control while growing up. Both use the sea in the films to show their metaphorical entrapment in a world where adults may either not have the time to give a damn, or in Car's case, want to use the child for their own needs. Despite what the DVD/VHS box says, comparing "Blue Car" to "American Beauty," Car is about a woman-child trapped in this world while "American Beauty", showed a man-boy who never really escaped from the pressures and stupidity of the adult world until his death. Spacey's character grew up trapped until his final days.The protagonists in both "400" and "Car" are smart. They worship Balzac and English poetry, respectively. But they can't escape what fate has given them -- the cards are to hard to deal with without a proper guidance figure. So, with the exception of a POSSIBLE happy ending at "Car", they are still intelligent but they are still tortured. They represent us as we start/are starting to realize that as a great muse once sung,freedom is a word for nothing to lose.I wish I had more time to get into the comparison, but see both "The 400 Blows" and "Blue Car" when you can, and I think you'll see what I mean. Younger adults can understand both (although, yes, Car, does go a little over-dramatic sometimes) feelings of non-delinquents youth who do need help more readily than some adults, but the adults, if they want to stop suppressing their memories, know they felt/feel the same way if they are just honest enough to admit it.Watch both. One is a classic, and one an under-appreciated gem.

bandw There are fine performances in this movie offering us a decent character study. The story revolves around a sensitive young girl, Meg, living in a highly dysfunctional family and the pain she experiences. She turns to an apparently sympathetic English teacher for some stability and encouragement. Every character in the movie comes with great flaws, but in the end all the adults wind up looking pathetically selfish, commanding our disrespect, while the young woman has the pure heart and is forced to be confronted with such awful people. This is one more movie with the theme of adults bad, teenagers good.The teacher serves as more of a psychiatrist than a teacher, at least that is his ruse. The mother seems to be totally oblivious as to what is going on with her children, to the extent that her younger daughter winds up dead due to her negligence. The brother of a friend of Meg's blows in for a few scenes, only to lie, steal everything in sight, and jump parole.The movie is uncomfortable to watch as you are drawn into a web of despair. See if you believe the slightly upbeat ending.

Travis_Bickle01 Small but recommendable film about a young girl, growing up in an unstable environment with a lack of people who care for her and various people abusing her. Agnes Bruckner gives an excellent performance as Meg. The story isn't something refreshing and new, but it doesn't disturbs me. The subject is handled very well and the co-actors are good as well, although Bruckner's performance is by far the best. I also saw her in "Home Room" but her role in that movie is very small.Excellent directing debut by Karen Moncrieff. She managed to make it a remarkable debut. "Blue Car" is an enjoyable film who's certainly worth watching.7.5/10

rpniew I had looked forward to viewing this film. I am a fan of the indie movement, I like bold and daring and original films, I love good acting. As far as the latter was concerned, I was suitably impressed. Every performance in the film is noteworthy and difficult.However, I had a deeper concern as the film went on. As a male English teacher myself, I began to resent the implication that every teacher who shows an interest in a students work or well-being is a predator. I care deeply about my students and give them my time, before, during, and after school; I do not have sex with them. I don't care to have this film taking on the point of view that I am ready to seduce my students.I then began to see deeper problems than just the depiction of the teacher; I began to see it as a condemnation of all males. The teacher is a pervert,his son is randy, the male boss is insensitive, Georgia's brother is a criminal, the mother's friend and the father are both ineffectual. To further this thesis, one only need look at the deleted scenes on the DVD -- Ohmigod, there WAS a sensitive, positive male character, but the director couldn't have THAT: his scenes ended up on the cutting-room floor.I realize young women need to be cautioned about predatory males; I know there is a lot of pain and suffering out there. But let's be real here: this is a horribly, one-sided, negative attack on men in general.