Wildflower is a bittersweet film of a young woman whose life is under siege. Bea, her preferred version of Bambi, the appellation given to her by her learning challenged mother, has far too much responsibility in her high-school life. She is a senior, filled with all the angst of high-school social senior complexities, looming college applications, a new, cancer-surviving boyfriend, and, most dominating, two parents with varying levels of learning disabilities that she must care for.
She is, however, witty and intelligent beyond her years. Her story is being narrated us in part as she lies in a coma with her completely dysfunctional relatives arguing on all sides of her hospital bed. The other parts are filled in through interviews. And therein is the intrigue that is supposed to draw us as the audience in and keep us questioning what happened to her. This riddle, however, doesn't have the pull to move the needle from to good to great. It feels like an engine running on less cylinders than necessary, a fouled plug script.
Kiernan Shipka, a seasoned young actress from Mad Men, and Chilling Adventures of Sabrina, overcomes the disjointed nature of the script. The supporting caste create marvelous characters. The sound track is superb. It is merely the script's attempt to drive the story in partial flash-backs from Bea, and from relatives being interviewed by a child services worker, that draws the film down a broken path.
Had this aspect of the script been fine-tuned, the film would have had a much more powerful impact and message. It is still well worth watching.
She is, however, witty and intelligent beyond her years. Her story is being narrated us in part as she lies in a coma with her completely dysfunctional relatives arguing on all sides of her hospital bed. The other parts are filled in through interviews. And therein is the intrigue that is supposed to draw us as the audience in and keep us questioning what happened to her. This riddle, however, doesn't have the pull to move the needle from to good to great. It feels like an engine running on less cylinders than necessary, a fouled plug script.
Kiernan Shipka, a seasoned young actress from Mad Men, and Chilling Adventures of Sabrina, overcomes the disjointed nature of the script. The supporting caste create marvelous characters. The sound track is superb. It is merely the script's attempt to drive the story in partial flash-backs from Bea, and from relatives being interviewed by a child services worker, that draws the film down a broken path.
Had this aspect of the script been fine-tuned, the film would have had a much more powerful impact and message. It is still well worth watching.