This movie follows the life of 15 year-old artist Minnie. Set in 1970's San Francisco, we experience Minnie's transition into womanhood as she has her first sexual encounter. *Spoilers*
As this film is intended to be an honest and in depth exploration of the life of a teenage girl it seems a shame that the film has been restricted to over 18's. Granted, there are several graphic scenes but the age that young people are having sex has been getting lower and lower for years. It seems as though these age restrictions should reflect that. And so, unfortunately, the target audience might miss out on this work of art.
The actors in this movie are extremely talented at drawing you into the story. Like Minnie we too have a sexual awakening. We share her new-found self-confidence, and also her secret insecurities. I would highly recommend this film, especially for women. It's not often you see such an honest portrayal of the inner workings of a young girl's mind without the usual Hollywood sugar coating!
As this film is intended to be an honest and in depth exploration of the life of a teenage girl it seems a shame that the film has been restricted to over 18's. Granted, there are several graphic scenes but the age that young people are having sex has been getting lower and lower for years. It seems as though these age restrictions should reflect that. And so, unfortunately, the target audience might miss out on this work of art.
The story opens with the declaration; "I had sex today!" Minnie feels, as a lot of us probably did at this time, as though she looks completely different and has officially become a woman after this act. When she looks back we discover that her first time has been with her mother's boyfriend. As the movie progresses we watch them become closer and share more sexual experiences. There has been some controversy about how the relationship between this man in his 30's and 15 year old Minnie is depicted in the movie. People have questioned whether the director is actually glorifying pedophilia. However, if we see the relationship between Minnie and Monroe through rose-tinted glasses it is because that is how Minnie sees it. Monroe is her hero; the man who wants her when she feels as though no one else possibly could love her.
Of course, this grown-up sexual relationship is not the typical teenage girl experience. However, despite not sharing the experience it is still very easy to relate to the emotional rollercoaster that Minnie is on. Her sense of pride after losing her virginity, the confusion she feels when a man seems to draw her close and push her away at the same time, her sense of worthlessness when she is rejected. The times when you feel the most sympathetic towards her character are the times when you understand exactly how she is feeling, because you have been there.
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