User reviews

Well-acted with very believable characters, we follow the story arc of 13-year old Emerson being forced out of the home-schooling nest by his free-spirit, eco-friendly hippies-cum-parents into the harsh (I'm sure by Canadian standards) world of public education.

This event is a catalyst for Emerson (predictably) and for his parents and new teacher (not so predictably). For Emerson it is all new wounds, for his parents and teacher it is a reevaluation and in some senses an awakening.

This is a thoroughly pleasant study of idealism accommodating reality, the (sometimes) thin line between romantic love vs fraternal love, romantic sex vs lustful sex, and friendship vs fraternity. And it's a nicely developed story of coming of age, coming out of the closet and coming to your senses.

I would like to think of this as a good movie for all ages, but perhaps I'm too liberal and open-minded/lax in discipline. As 10% films go, it just barely qualifies; the gay theme is subordinate to the stories of the individuals, each with their individual histories, needs, and future.

This is a touching movie about Emerson, the 13-year-old son of hippies in rural Nova Scotia. He's been home-schooled; hoping to interest him more in academics, his mother decides to send him to the local school for the first time. As he becomes the target of bullies, more and more he develops a crush on his English teacher, Mr. Grant, who as it turns out is a closeted gay man who frequents the highway rest stop. His artless advances towards Mr. Grant scare the hell out of him, leaving Emerson hurt and confused. Meanwhile, his parents' marriage is in a crisis that they try unsuccessfully to camouflage from him.

There were a few thin spots (a few threads were left hanging ), but in general it's a sweet, reflective movie that compels us to identify with Emerson and invites us to think about the emotional reactions it raises in us. Another lovely Canadian (and specifically Maritime) queer film in the tradition of The Hanging Garden.

Wow, this is a really thoughtful, well-made coming-of-age film. With a sea of dreck in this genre flooding the market, it is refreshing to see such a well written, sincerely performed narrative that feels so real and personal. Set in snowy Nova Scotia, the story of a bookish 13 year old named Emerson falling in love with his male school teacher (who is gay), might easily veer toward the distasteful, but this film never does. The performances are honest and heartfelt and the storyline goes to some unexpected places, contributing nicely to it's indy feel. There are a few moments that might have been more thoroughly explored (Emerson's relationship with an geeky school friend, the obvious direction of his awakening sexuality, is given short shrift.) But overall, this was an intelligently made, sweet and sincere film about human relationships - something that we can never have enough of.

This is a perfect Canadian family-in-crisis movie even if a 13 yr.old androgynous boy takes most of the attention. None of these characters knows where they are going and flip-flop along in irritable desperation until son and Mum break the mold and seek some freedom. In the interval a great witty screenplay involves us fully with editing from heaven which keeps the action running along. And the cinematographer is certainly no slouch with snow and pines shown as if painted by the Group of Seven. We expect good performance from the better known actors here but Aaron Webber in his first movie role interlocks the other characters in an insightful and low keyed performance.I only had a problem with the too neat ending which seems to overreach for dramatic incident and then comes up with a couple of overworked clichés which seem out of place in this thoughtful and revelatory drama.

What happens to people who are raised without conventional social boundaries? Emerson Thorsen (Aaron Webber) is a thirteen-year-old boy living with his aging hippie parents in rural Nova Scotia. Even though they clearly love their son, Roj (Robert Joy) and Kaya (Rebecca Jenkins) often act more like Emerson's pals than his parents (they have the annoying habit of querying him about his burgeoning sexuality). After years of home schooling, the sensitive, highly gifted Emerson is enrolled in the local middle school where he immediately stands out from the more conventional members of the student body who have no interest in discussing poetry or reading Shakespeare. Emerson not only has problems relating to the other pupils, but he develops a crush of sorts on his English teacher (Daniel MacIvor, who co-wrote the screenplay), a common enough occurrence, except that Emerson, so long shielded from the societal norms of the outside world, feels no compunction not to act on his feelings, creating complications for everyone involved.

Alternately touching and queasy, "Whole New Thing" is a generally sensitive coming-of-age tale that distinguishes itself with its novel setting and its unusual set of characters. The movie doesn't always feel like it knows where it's going, but that can be as much a recommendation for the film as a criticism of it. There are times when it seems as if it is going to go completely off the rails - particularly in the marital travails of Roj and Kaya - but it always manages to somehow right itself at the last minute. Only at the VERY last minute does it fail to do so, succumbing to an ending that is far too abrupt, upbeat and amicable for what has gone before.

The acting is strong, and there is just enough complexity in the characters and storytelling to make us suspect that MacIvor (who has directed a number of films of his own) and writer/director Amnon Buchbinder, should they choose to collaborate again, will do even more sophisticated work in the future. As it stands, this is a promising early effort for the filmmakers.

Canadian director Amnon Buchbinder's coming of age comedy Whole New Thing is an engaging look at an intellectually precocious 13-year old boy who develops a crush on his gay English instructor. Set in rural Mahone Bay, Nova Scotia, newcomer Aaron Webber is outstanding as the quirky Emerson Thorsen whose attraction to his teacher Don Grant (Daniel McIvor) threatens to create serious problems for the teacher, the school, and his clueless parents. While the film delves into unconventional subject matter such as nocturnal emissions and causal sex in washrooms, Buchbinder deals with these topics in a matter of fact way without taking any narrative or stylistic risks.

Rather than continue with home schooling where he seems deficient in key subjects, Emerson's free-spirited parents Kaya (Rebecca Jenkins) and Rog (Robert Joy), enroll their gifted son in the local high school. Emerson has written what looks like a 500-page Hobbit novel and has knowledge far beyond the reach of his rural classmates but is lacking in social and emotional maturity. Looking sexually androgynous with hair coming down his face and a touch of lipstick, he is bullied by his classmates and sneered at when he proposes that the teacher throw away the book they are reading (Snowboard Snowjob) in favor of Shakespeare.

He naively pursues his teacher Don, a gay man, but seems to have no understanding of how his actions are putting his teacher in jeopardy. Buchbinder throws in some undeveloped subplots about Kaya having an affair with a local worker and Don thinking about reconciling with a former lover but the characters are paper-thin and the stories do not come to life. Though Whole New Thing brings some insight into the confusion of an adolescent waking up to sexual ambiguity, I found the relationships unpersuasive and lacking in reality. Aaron Webber, however, is definitely a talent to watch and the haunting score by David Buchbinder, the director's brother, using Arabic, Celtic, African, and rock melodies, played on a group of exotic instruments, is worth the price of admission.

I saw this to a packed audience at the Toronto International Film Festival today with director, lead actor, and producers in attendance.

This film exceeded my expectations and was enjoyable to watch. This film explores sexuality and relationships mainly through a home-schooled boy whose family integrates him into a regular school, coming into contact with students and one teacher in particular. This was an engrossing and very interesting exploration of this topic with tenderness, realism, and an excellent screenplay.

A few outstanding aspects:

1) SCREENPLAY: very intelligent, strong characters, motivations, with some very witty lines that really worked and, at times, got me laughing. Good flow.

2) VERY STRONG ACTING: The lead actor (first film for Aaron Webber) was very well cast, not to mention the performances from all leads was very strong. Kudos to the director for pulling this together.

3) VISUALS: The scenes and visuals are slightly out of the ordinary resulting in something that intrigues and makes it worth watching.

There is, however, one small area that was lacking believability which would make this an otherwise outstanding film: the evolving relationship of the lead character with his teacher. A bit more care with this crescendo is what is needed. With a few tweaks highlighting a special moment, or an additional scene, the movie would be perfect. I was thoroughly engrossed in the characters and story and give this movie a very strong endorsement.

While this movie has comedic elements, it's the sort of thoughtful, high-class Canadian art-movie drama that you'd expect Daniel MacIvor to be involved with. Despite the somewhat fey cover art on the 2 different versions of the DVD that I've seen (I bought the somewhat less fey and definitely less expensive version I found at amazon.ca), the movie is not a winsome comedy, nor is it especially light. This movie is not "Election" and it is not the revenge comedy that you might be led to expect. It's basically a realistic tale of pain and emotional growth on the parts of everyone involved, whether they're confused, arty, and ignorant kids, or whether they're confused adults still seeking to connect. Fortunately, the movie ends with signs of hope for everyone. You shouldn't miss this, because the human observations and characterizations are so true.

This is one of those rare, seemingly perfect little movies that takes a specific situation and somehow makes it seem to contain the whole world… a universal story that contains a humor and poignancy we can all relate to. I'm thinking of movies like Harold and Maude, or The Graduate. It has that sheer deliciousness, a meal you find that you want to eat over and over. I saw it at the Toronto International Film Festival sort of by chance, it fit into my schedule and I wasn't expecting much, just another Canadian movie that might be competently made and sincere but somehow would fall short of really being satisfying or engaging or having much to say. Boy was I wrong. In the days that followed, the movie would not leave my head. And then I happened to be in Montreal this week and last night it was the opening night film at the image + nation film festival here so I went to see it again. And it was even better the second time, which is the real test with this kind of movie, by which I mean the kind that has lines of dialog you just want to repeat ("how long does this right of passage thing last?" or dad explaining to his son why masturbation is better than wet dreams, "too much laundry is bad for the environment"), and a cast of characters you wish you knew in real life. They are so complex and real, and the movie sees them with love and acceptance but at the same time humor, in spite of their failings and foolish actions. Its also the nuanced performances; as the teacher Daniel McIvor shows the character's strength and weakness. As the boy Aaron Weber is a revelation, the gutsiness of this kid's performance, from his naked saunas to his simultaneous innocence and calculation, is amazing (and hard to believe its his first film role). The story is consistently surprising, it never sells its characters short, or the audience, respects us enough to not spell everything out. The screenings were filled not only with laughter, but gasps of disbelief at how far the 13 year old main character goes. I still can't figure out how the filmmakers took something that should have been off-putting and weird (13 year old boy putting the moves on his gay 40-something English teacher) and made it something not only consistently surprising but touching and funny and involving. It is not per se a gay coming of age movie, I suppose you could say that it's a bisexual coming of age movie but really it seemed much more than that (as the kid in the movie says, "those are just labels"). Calling it a gay Napoleon Dynamite like one of the other reviews did is kind of silly, because that movie takes so-called *normal* people and makes them seem weird, this movie takes so-called *weird* people and makes us recognize ourselves in them even if we would judge them in real life. And this movie is damn funny but in a way that is at the same time open-hearted and totally unsentimental. After two viewings I feel like there's still so much more there to be revealed in this movie, and I think it's one I will return to again and again. Can't wait until I can purchase it on DVD. If this movie isn't widely distributed it will be a crime.

I saw this movie without a clue what it was about. I had just been given the cover and glanced at the front, believing it to be a comedy in the likes of American Pie and such.

Well, after getting over the initial surprise about what this movie was actually about, I found it to be nice anyway. It tells a good story and you can easily follow the characters and understand their personalities.

The cast was good and it had some nice supporting roles as well. Especially the parents, they were well cast and did a great job bringing their roles to life.

The movie is uplifting and have fun moments, but I don't believe it is the type of movie that you will watch more than once.

Amnon Buchbinder's "Whole New Thing" ranks among the best independent films of the past year. Solid performances, notably from newcomer Aaron Webber, and assured, mature direction bolster an excellent script (co-written by ubiquitous Canuck playwright and co-star Daniel MacIvor) about the vagaries of family, love and sexuality. Buchbinder's sensitive treatment of his characters never falls into cliché and consistently offers resonant insights. The script is well-paced and adroitly mixes comedy and tragedy to present a well-rounded view of humanity in bittersweet glory.

For those of you who thought Canadian cinema was just about Atom Egoyan and David Cronenberg, think again: Amnon Buchbinder is as strong and defined a voice as either of those two, and his soft touch arguably eclipses both in terms of his ability to explore the humanity of his characters.

...perhaps in a first year film school nightmare??... I'm not really sure where to start with this one. Perhaps I should talk about why I think this 90 min+ miracle of Canadian cinema could have easily been condensed to a 10 min (that's even pushing it) mediocre short film. Or, perhaps I should talk about the the character of Emerson and my fascination as to why people think this kid gave a great performance. Yes, that'll do. This was a TV movie, a lesser episode of Degrassi Junior High (sorry Degrassi for making this comparison, I still love you), an After School Special. This was not fresh , this was not original, and this in no way gave me confidence in my Defending Canadian Cinema argument I sometimes bring out when there's an awkward silence at parties. All I can say is don't see it, don't waste your time, and strive to expect more from us Canadian filmmakers. We need less praise for our mediocre achievements (Sarah Polly anyone?) and more accountability for our government funded mistakes. Enough said. ps. Daniel MacIvor, you did your best and played your role with heart, for this I thank you...but then again you also wrote it, so I'm still upset.

The elements that were designed to visually encompass this film, are absolutely great! From the house, the clothing (or lack of) of Aaron's character family to the lighting schemes in every situation, Whole New Thing is exactly what Hollywood should tackle: a good story that resonates with real life situations, and a treatment where twists and turns, not manipulation, lead to a very convincing film.

The textures of every small detail were almost handcrafted, especially the music. This is one of the reasons why Canadian films are important: they are a counterweight to American films, (though I still believe that Canadians, as Chileans, Mexicans and all of America's peoples are American).

I'm proud of this film and the way it explores (maybe not in depth, because it was not its purpose) a really difficult issue to which we all close our eyes and ears, and think as impossible and weird. My hat off too for the co-writer and actor Daniel McIvor.

Maybe you'll love to see this film over and over again just to discover how well done it is!

Very enjoyable film. The chemistry cultivated between the lead actor and his teacher and parents is impressive. The film opts for cleverness over cuteness; which sets it apart from most of the rest of the films I've seen in the "coming of age" genre. Challenging subject matter and a fresh approach to sexuality and growing up. Easily one the most entertaining Canadian films I've seen. It's a shame that it only played for one night at the film festival, I would have gathered as many friends as I could find to watch it a second time. I will keep an eye out for the DVD.

Thank you to Amnon Buchbinder for coming to the Q & A as well.

Whole New Thing is a delightfully quirky film that is part Gay coming of age story, part love story, and part character study. The film focuses around Emerson, a free-thinking quirky 13 year old kid. Home schooled all his life, his parents decide to put him into public school just so he could get a change in life. Emerson quickly falls into a crush with his English teacher. The teacher, even though he is gay himself, is smart enough to realize that having an affair with an underage student would be a real stupid thing to do. But Emerson doesn't realize this, and lust, turns to heartbreak, to revenge, The kid actor who plays Emerson, Aaron Webber, is astonishing in a gutsy, risk-taking role. He plays this role with gusto and abandon. He reminded me of Napoleon Dynamite (cough, I haven't seen this film) only with a queer bent. The whole cast shines here though,. Dan McIvor, I usually love everything he does, he's one of Canada's most unheralded actors. The others I haven't really heard of, but everyone does a great job here. This film will probably play heavily on the gay and lesbian film festival circuits, so catch it if you can.

WHOLE NEW THING is another fine little film from Canada, utilizing an excellent cast of Canadian actors to present a modern day conundrum about identity in a manner more sensitive than most other films addressing the subject. Director/writer (with actor Daniel MacIvor) Amnon Buchbinder has created a series of characters, seemingly disparate in age and outlook, who each has a problem coping with who they actually are, and with great skill this story interweaves these fascinating people, isolated by the frigid planes of Nova Scotia into a complex puzzle that answers far more questions about identity than is at first apparent.

Emerson (a strong debut for Aaron Webber) is the thirteen-year-old son of environmentalist/post-hippie parents Kaya (Rebecca Jenkins) and Rog (Robert Joy) whose creative look at life has provided home schooling for Emerson, encouraged his gift for writing, but now find that there are gaps in Emerson's education that suggest enrolling him in the local Middle School might mend. Kaya and Rog are in a stale marriage: each has needs the other can't appreciate. Emerson enjoys his isolation and is not eager to move into the 'mainstream' by attending school. Kaya visits the middle school and meets teacher Don Grant (Daniel MacIvor) whom she invites to her home to meet and impress Emerson. Don is a bright, lovable teacher who has failed in gay relationships, relegating his needs to visits to park restrooms. When Don comes to dinner, Emerson is impressed with Don's acceptance of Emerson's outlook and decides to give the school a chance.

Emerson, long-haired and androgynous in appearance, suffers ridicule at school but finds considerable solace in the classroom atmosphere Don Grant adapts to suit Emerson's intelligent needs. Don is 42 and Emerson is 13 and while they become friends, Emerson develops his first 'crush' on Don. And while this is happening Kaya meets young stud Denny (the always excellent Callum Keith Rennie) and begins an affair. Many moments of electric snaps occur among all of the characters (a matter of whose crisis is more threatening!) and the manner in which each of the confrontations with each character and conjoined demons occur begin to resolve the seemingly improbable results that alter the growth of each.

Part of the success of a film dealing with such subject matter is the manner in which each of the stories is told. There is no crude acting out, no pat answers, and no unnecessary 'drama' for drama's sake. This is a very honest little film that deserves the attention of a wide audience eager to understand the varying motivations of other people. Grady Harp

I loved this movie - it's a good, simple, both touching and amusing story - very Canadian (that's a good thing in my book, even though I'm a separatist!). It's also great to see plots taking place outside of the usual larger cities. Cudos to all involved. But... once more, it makes me think of how frustrating it is that Canadian movies almost never make it to Québec's movie screens (I'm writing from Montréal). I once complained about this in writing to our former Ministre du Patrimoine Sheila Copps - after watching the Genies one night, not having seen any of the Canadian films in competition, as they hadn't been distributed in Québec yet! One would think that the federal government, always out to promote Canadian culture and unity, might want to do something about this! We, in Québec, are so proud of our cinema and often look down upon the R.O.C.'s production - but that's so wrong! Canada has great movie makers - but poor distribution and promotion methods and means, sadly!

Listen to the Elizabethan overtones of the title, then watch "As You Like It" appear in the film for a big part. "Whole New Thing" may not be a whole new approach, or cinematic thing, but it surely is a leisurely, thoughtful, and one hopes thought-provoking take on Shakespeare's "As You Like It".

"As You Like It" is a pastoral comedy. That genre, rather obsolete now, works more like romance for us. Set in a snow-bleached Nova Scotia, the film seems to say pastoral with winter written allover. But that is not as grim as it sounds, one has just to see the juxtapositions with and the transpositions from the play, and will get what the film gives and is about. For reviewers complain, or note -without actual elaboration- on the touchiness of the subject or praise pointing to things that were weird or off-putting, not quite paying attention to the film's tone. This tone makes the affirmation that the theme is the teacher-pupil sexual relation dubious, if not plainly irrelevant.

It begins with 13-year-old Emerson completing his huge manuscript of a novel and as it seems, with drawings all his own. Some seconds before in the sequence, we see a William Blake drawing hanging above. This sets the tone for what will follow. A quite young person with such capacities, this means we are already in the woods of Arden. Rather cunningly, it also suggests, as it gloriously happens with Shakespeare's Rosalind, that young Em, being a writer at that age, must be some kind of master of perspectives.

And he is. It is just, and this is where the film's take on "As You Like It" begins to take off, that his parents are so much free-spirited hippies urging him to "talk", "be natural about discovering his burgeoning sexuality" (it seems for them it is little more than a matter of masturbation), that so much solicited liberty becomes problematic. And comical and entertaining for us, as young Em facing them, feels the strain but doesn't lose his wit.

The parents are not peripheral to the story. Rog, the father, a self-absorbed scientist played with a hint of caricature by Robert Joy, recalls "the melancholy Jacques" from "As You Like It". Only here, instead of him being introduced to us as someone weeping over a deer, we have an idealist trying to convert human excrement to utilitarian, "fueling" purposes. That is good, but, well, when his wife starts en extramarital affair, he becomes an impotent, raging man, with the face of a religious fanatic. We are far away from the "jerk off" dialogue in the beginning.

Kaya, the mother, is a sexy, assertive, and a bit disoriented woman, who, after having sex with Denny for the first time, cannot help herself but be as garrulous as she reports her husband to be. And all that positive stance from both parents, does not amount to much when they embark on the anxiety ride after they think they find out and about their son's sexuality. Well, a parent is just a comic parent, after all.

And a teacher is a frustrated teacher. Don Grant, the teacher, never takes advantage of the boy. Actually, he is not at all interested. Emerson is a catalyst for him. What for? Watch the scene that comes after Em's acting out/declaration of love. What triggers Don's unease is not Em being a minor, being a pupil, being mature enough to discard gay and straight labels, but what he says in the end: it is not about having sex, he says, he just wants to feel close. That is what bothers Don. Daniel McIvor plays this finely hinting that where Don failed is exactly this: he was afraid of being close to his ex, Claude, as an earlier meeting between the two shows. And that is what he wants to restore, as it is elliptically conveyed to us. He calls Claude, then sets of to see him, then strangely stops at the public toilets for a quickie, as is his custom. And then we realize that this habit, reported to us before, is not due to protecting oneself from the public eye in a small town, but an obsessive pattern that refuses the reaffirmation of intimate moments.

And what is the whole new thing that bothers Emerson? In the spirit of the film, it is as if it is not so much the discovery of sexuality, for we do not know if we can actually term infatuation his feelings towards his teacher. Saying that he wants to feel close, marks more as a feeling of loneliness and seclusion with his parents way too long (watch the first shot in the sauna, with its nonchalant nakedness and hot pressures). What Em discovers is innocence. As in "As You Like It", sex is sewn with innocence. The story of each character, with its shifting accent on sexuality and its roles, gender and its assumptions, is tender-hearted, tenderly and poignantly handled, recalling the shifting perspectives in Shakespeare's play. Rosalind may command perspectives throughout, but young Em at the end is exhausted. The Arcadian forest of Arden cannot be for long an Arcadian family, nor a Utopian relationship between teacher and pupil.

The ending is not as abrupt as it seems. All couples are restored: Claude and Don, Rog and Kaya, and seemingly Emerson and his dreamworld. As his father says, we do not know what Em is dreaming of, he would not dare begin to think what he is dreaming of, thus letting it be; as the poet says, "the years shone back on yours/free and immune from mine". In a way love as sexual innocence, and in sexuality, not pre-sexual, is restored. It may not be, as the last phrase lingers after the film ends, a whole new thing, but isn't that something?