Old Enough

This is an excellent 'coming of age' adolescent film. Everytime I've caught it on cable over the years I've never been able to stop watching it. Yesterday on IFC it happened again for maybe the 8th time, I've lost count. It's great that a channel like IFC or BRAVO has recognized the worth of this film because in my video guide they gave it the worst score possible (a turkey), which is an abomination. This is one of the most truthful films about kids and in a wider sense Brooklyn or New York City attitudes in the '80s. The director has to be either very good or extremely lucky to get this much truth on film. 'Old Enough' is almost like an updated, early '80s adolescent version of Engel and Orkin's 'Little Fugitive,' or 'Lovers and Lollipops,' two pioneering cinema verite films of the '50s. It is cut directly from the fabric of life and needless to say, shot entirely on location. In fact, it is almost like walking into the lives of these quintessentially 'New York' people, you can almost smell the neighborhood. The two girls playing the leads are just fabulous; it's as if they're just living their real lives and you're eavesdropping on them; you hardly suspect you're watching a movie. In the end, friendship is shown to be stronger than class conflicts but not until the magical and forever vanished world of the 11 to 13 year old that once existed in every soul has been resurrected for re-evaluation and non-sentimental nostalgia.

This is a rare gem, one that isn't afraid to confront what it means to grow up in 80s America. Set in 80s New York, Silver has lensed an astonishingly authentic view of childhood, surprisingly devoid of sentimentality. She isn't afraid to paint life in realist tones, often shocking the audience with the intrusion of adult behavior upon the young protagonist's life. The issue of class difference is central to the film's development of the two main characters Sarah and Kare; the former a rich Upper East-side innocent; the latter a brash, precocious Italian-Catholic schoolgirl. Yes, this treatment of the different class systems seems rather trite at first, but the complexities of the characters are mapped through until the sombre end, which is a refreshing change from the feel-good nonsense made by Disney et al. This independent film could have been a Disney film; thank Mickey Mouse it wasn't. A testament to the true spirit of independent cinema in the 80s.

I just watched a 13-year-old taped-from-Bravo copy of this film, and let me tell you: it's a delight. Not only does it knowingly tap into the teenage experience of expanding cultural sensibilities, but it does so in a completely unpretentious and earnest way-- no John Hughes slapstick or over sentimentality here, just an honest portrayal of a pivotal friendship.

The two female leads are excellent young actresses, and the soundtrack is really quite unique (think a more primitive version of the "Virgin Suicides" soundtrack by Air).

Plus, you can see what Alyssa Milano was doing before she rocketed to "Who's the Boss?" fame.

Check it out if you can.

Enjoyable little film about friendship, the fun and pains of growing up, and incidently, growing up on the streets of New York; Though not for everybody, this is still engaging to watch. 4/5 stars.... Maybe we see on DVD one day, no?

This is a story of a friendship between an unlikely pair but kids don't care. One young girl comes from a well-bred upper class family and another girl is a street smart daughter of a New York apt. building super. They learn from one another about a different culture and the dialog is fantastic - extremely believable. I'm sorry the overall rating this movie received was so mediocre. The low scores were obviously given by persons out of touch with real life, especially from the perspective of a young girl.