If you don't like this, we can't be friends.

This is a tender, generous movie that likes its characters and presents them as real people, full of flaws and strengths.

Wow! What a bizarre film! Unfortunately the few funny moments there were were quite overshadowed by it's completely weird and random vibe throughout.

Through painfully honest and emotional moments, the movie becomes irresistibly relatable

I watched half last night and couldn't wait to finish it today. Emily Lloyd was absolutely phenomenal and I want to get more movies with her in it. All of the actors were excellent, from her aunt, to the Dad, to his friend.Lynda was quite a character in this movie and you can understand why some kids act out like they do. I can relate to Lynda and make sense of some of the things I did as a kid after watching this. It was often hilarious and sometimes painful to watch. The acting is so incredible, you really could feel the emotion. And you feel for the father who can't control her, no matter what he tries to do.British films are always so different from the norm. I love their artistic approach where everything is not spelled out for you and you have to make some inferences on your own. As such, every person's perspective is a little bit different. And the situations are always such real, every day type of situations from which they can spin a great story. I highly recommend this film.It is not for children as there are many adult situations. Although I'm usually pretty loose with an R rating, I won't allow my tween children to watch this. Frankly, I don't think that kids would necessarily enjoy it anyway - as it's more of an adult drama with some funny and awkward moments.

Sassy and defiant 16-year-old nonconformist Lynda Mansell (a wonderfully brash and vibrant performance by the adorable Emily Lloyd) lives her life defying the norm and gleefully shocking the uptight locals in the staid seaside hamlet she resides in. Her long-suffering conservative father Hubert (well played by Geoffrey Hutchings) disapproves of Emily's outrageous antics. Moreover, Emily is forced to deal with the potentially harmful consequences of her mischievous behavior after she's impregnated by seedy older fellow oddball Eric (a superbly intense portrayal by Tom Bell). Writer/director David Leland expertly crafts a perfectly pitched blend of touching drama and uproariously brazen comedy that benefits tremendously from a flavorsome evocation of the 1950's period setting, an equally astute depiction of the repressive mores of said stuffy era, and a wealth of hilariously racy lines ("Up your bum!"). Moreover, Leland wisely keeps mawkish sentiment at bay and refuses to pass judgment on any of the characters. Best of all, the radiant and appealing Lloyd simply shines as lovable free spirit Lynda, whose tart veneer masks a scared inner vulnerability and rebellious nature stems from the death of her mother when she was eleven as well as a fierce disdain of the status quo and a deep-seated need to assert one's own individuality in a drab world of stifling conformity. Kudos are also in order for Ian Wilson's postcard pretty cinematography and Stanley Myers' stately score. A lovely, moving, and frequently funny gem.

This is a strange low-budget British drama about a young, promiscuous woman (was Lynda supposed to be a teenager throughout the film?) who asserts her independence in strange way (though less strange by the finale). Her precocious behavior stems from an odd relationship with her family. Once her mother dies, she becomes alienated from her estranged father and her "boring" sister (seriously, what was this kid doing all the time walking around in a scouts uniform carrying a flag?). Nonetheless, I suppose seeking solace in a meaningful relationship with other men (but I assume she realizes that none of these relationships are actually meaningful at all), she goes from one man to another, which serves only to further aggravate her father and others around her. Set in the late 40s/early 50s England, her outlandish, exhibitionist behavior is perceived as much more wild and offensive as she attempts to basically turn any convention about young women of the period on its head. (Whether this is to gain her father's attention, I'm never sure). Until the ultimate staging of independence (see the movie, why don't'cha?).As odd as the film was (I especially was amused by Lynda's intent to use as much foul language as possible whenever the opportunity presented itself, which was often), Emily Lloyd did a fine job in the lead character. Although she is familiar to these types of roles, reminiscent of her character, Cookie (Cookie, 1989) or Samantha (In Country, 1989), or countless other films that she appeared in, portraying the same type of character. It is not at all surprising that her film debut role would garner her Best Actress awards (British honors and the National Society of Film Critics Awards--US). She was an excellent choice for the part and that is reason alone to see it.

This is one of my alltime favorites. Emily Lloyd is my favorite actress and I've seen this film 8 times. It is funny, it is poignant and it is a classic movie.