I started with little hope for this movie except for it to kindly fill 90 minutes of my time and let me enjoy some mindless time-out. It definitely accomplished this, though, unusually, it's left me with some points of interest worth raising.
I found Greta's serious desire to prevent herself from growing old and to off herself once her fun time is up very interesting and captivating. However, much like her offbeat, rough character traits, it seemed to have been dismissed too easily in the end. I would've much preferred some more development on her character and her relationships and maybe some deeper explanation to her than the 'my father did this' excuse. Why did it not turn her off suicide? She says she wants to kill herself so she can avoid the boring, annoying events of life that come with ageing, yet is this why her father shot himself? I don't think there's a connection (unless I've forgotten a plot point already.)
It would be wrong to say this movie was about her relationship with Julie, and though, I personally had more interest in Greta's relationship with her grandparents, I found his character just lovely and warm and very endearing. However, I am puzzled as to why the 3 supporting characters just let Greta carry on the way she did. Yes, the neighbour and her mother went about it the wrong way, but there should have been MORE standing up to her. Her behaviour was atrocious and I felt there was no real redemption for it from the other characters. Why did they even want her around? I certainly wouldn't have wanted any more of her after one conversation.
Maybe it was okay that there was no answer to the Greta and Julie question -- I don't mind open endings for some parts, but there still has to be resolution, and I think Julie gave her that.
While this movie was enjoyable and definitely a big step up for Duff, I feel there was just not enough to make it 'great'. Comparisons to a mix of Georgia Rule and Juno are not off base.
I found Greta's serious desire to prevent herself from growing old and to off herself once her fun time is up very interesting and captivating. However, much like her offbeat, rough character traits, it seemed to have been dismissed too easily in the end. I would've much preferred some more development on her character and her relationships and maybe some deeper explanation to her than the 'my father did this' excuse. Why did it not turn her off suicide? She says she wants to kill herself so she can avoid the boring, annoying events of life that come with ageing, yet is this why her father shot himself? I don't think there's a connection (unless I've forgotten a plot point already.)
It would be wrong to say this movie was about her relationship with Julie, and though, I personally had more interest in Greta's relationship with her grandparents, I found his character just lovely and warm and very endearing. However, I am puzzled as to why the 3 supporting characters just let Greta carry on the way she did. Yes, the neighbour and her mother went about it the wrong way, but there should have been MORE standing up to her. Her behaviour was atrocious and I felt there was no real redemption for it from the other characters. Why did they even want her around? I certainly wouldn't have wanted any more of her after one conversation.
Maybe it was okay that there was no answer to the Greta and Julie question -- I don't mind open endings for some parts, but there still has to be resolution, and I think Julie gave her that.
While this movie was enjoyable and definitely a big step up for Duff, I feel there was just not enough to make it 'great'. Comparisons to a mix of Georgia Rule and Juno are not off base.