A Disappointing Continuation

This movie feels like it was made purely to piss off people who want good shows

Strong acting helps the film overcome an uncertain premise and create characters that hold our attention absolutely.

Blistering performances.

Likened to Larry Clark's controversial Kids, White Girl sheds light on an often known, but cloaked, New York City lifestyle, riddled with malice and a fleeting sense of love and acceptance. Morgan Saylor's performance is reminiscent of Rachel Miner in Clark's Bully, and her wanton romance with co-star Brian Marc offers viewers a titillating look into the makings of a bad romance. Director Elizabeth Wood seems to have a similar taste in story and directing style as Clark, and, following this directorial debut, her future filmography seems promising. The story delves deep into the examination of 'white privilege' and the grips of a disadvantaged, urban class. While the romance between Saylor and Marc's characters may seem fanciful and impractical, Wood invites us to suspend our disbelief and open our eyes to an alarming reality that faces millennials in love. And by the film's end, just like Saylor's character, Leah, we are left asking what we would do in the name of love. The on screen chemistry between all of the characters seemed genuine, believable, and compelling. The most enjoyable aspects of the film were letting go as a viewer and following a seemingly ordinary college student into a dark world characterized by drugs, sex, and, what should be, reggae-ton. It's not a world many have traversed, but one that has aimed to seduce many of us in our youths. The soundtrack accompanying the scenes makes the film feel like a celluloid of simultaneous nostalgia and insanity. Can a young, White girl attending college in New York fall into the hands of a charming drug dealer? The plot is far from implausible, as some of the scenes may lead on, and it's a journey that at times is ugly and rife with melancholy.The film does not bear much re-watch value, but it does hold strong as the first edition in a hopefully favorable series of films that explore the "underground" of urban teens and their escapades.

Firstly, I love this movie and I laughed at another review where someone said the characters were awful and he hated them so he voted it a 1 star. My take is that the lead character was awful, and stupid, and foolhardy, and not a little seedy. But that's because Morgan Saylor worked so very hard to bring that character to life. She reminded me of a young Michelle Williams: totally lacking self- consciousness and totally absorbed into the role. The story of course is sleazy and sordid, and the characters are all making poor decisions and have values that don't match wider society's. But that's the whole point, it's telling again the story of young teens growing up in this drug ridden world and how easy it is to sink lower and lower into depravity in your quest for the next high. There is of course racial undertones right through the movie and the end point is massively telling. America will probably never be rid of racism and probably never rid of drugs either...the world never changes. Brilliant watch, great story, fantastic directing and beautiful acting. I loved this film.

Probably one of the best female performances i've seen for a very long time, especially when you consider the movie was written and directed by a female "Elizabeth Wood", so you are not viewing the movie from the male gaze. Most sexist cooperate movie reviewers wont even understand what the male gaze is - so i commend all the people involved in this production. If Morgan misses out on a nomination - she has been robbed. I highly recommend this movie to all! <3The movie is hard hitting and real - in a similar vein to American HONEY. If you like coming of age movies that are hard hitting - Enjoy.Thanks for reading.

So why would a person watch a film with little to no redeeming values? You will ask this question every ten minutes as this film flows deeper and deeper down the sewer line. There are people in this film that you grow to hate and not care for. The female lead exploits her own depravity where you question the basic logic of her behavior. She makes some of the most profound mistakes early on and she keeps making these mistakes throughout the picture. And the theme has been beaten to death and if there was suppose to be any shock value, it was lost in the delivery of the script and the direction. Why should we care about another drug user? Why should we invest in the relationship between her and her boyfriend drug dealer? We've seen this trope too many times to give a damn. The utter stupidity of this girl and the lack of any common sense just screams at you. Every minute that passed by makes you want to just end the film because it gets worse and worse. If this was suppose to be based on true events then I pity the person who's life this was based on because every moment was just so dumb. This was an ugly film where every character was despicable. The boss, the roommate, the boyfriend, the other dope dealers, the cops, the lawyer, there were no characters were you could shine a light on. No one can be this blatantly naive and expect to survive in New York City.