ironhorse_iv
Made way before Brittany Spears, lose her mind in 2007. She made one of her first biggest mistake in 2002 by trying to act in a 'coming of age' movie. Her role as Lucy Wagner, a young doe-eyed high school graduate who begins an essential journey of self-discovery with her off and on again, friends, Kit (Zoe Saldana) & Mimi (Taryn Manning) on a road trip received mostly negative. However, I don't believe, all the hate by the critics, is deserved. The movie isn't bad. It's just a run-of-the-mill female driven road movie, audiences have seem, before, and done, better, in similar films like 1995's 'Boys on the Side' & the master hit, 1991's 'Thelma and Louise'. It just doesn't stand out, much. It's surprising, because the film, deals with some really emotional heavy themes, like teen pregnancy, rape, and abandoned issues. If anything, these things, should had made this movie, a lot more interesting than it was! So, what went wrong!? Well, one is bad-marketing. While, the film was still targeted toward pre-teens that make up, Britney's audience at the time. None of the trailers, really focus much, on the emotional depth of the story. Instead, it play up, the comedy and music of the film, which in truth, the film has little of. No wonder, why audience felt like, they got their money, stolen. The viewers really thought, they were going to see, a light-hearted comedy film, similar to 1997's film, 'Spice World'. Instead, they got a seriously downer drama like they were watching 1988's film, 'Beaches'! Even, if the audience got their light-hearted musical comedy, like they ask for. None of the jokes in the film was funny. If anything, the short sequences of humor, really took me out, of the film. About the music, the way, the writer, Shonda Rhimes, introduced it, was also pretty jarring. A good example is the unrealistic karaoke bar scene. Honestly, what was the chances of a karaoke bar in the middle of nowhere, tipping singers so well during one night, that the three of them, has enough to fix a yellow 1973 Buick Skylark convertible and find parts!? It doesn't even seem real. It's a huge stretch. I'm sorry, I can't suspense my disbelief, here! If the movie had female 'balls'. They would had, the characters, steal the money from somebody, or have one of the character sell herself or something more mature-driven like that. It's seem like the characters are dodging all the worst possibilities, unrealistic because the film is PG-13. The most infamous of this, is the convenient blue bottle and miscarriage scene. Without spoiling it, too much. OMG! It's really lazy screen writing! The idea that one of the rational character, can tell, that another character rape her, by him, holding a blue bottle is one of the weakest point of the film. It's not like, Bud-Light is popular. Another thing, I think the film would had been stronger, if the character went through, with having a real-life abortion or keeping the baby for the sake of the child. Instead, of having her, lose the child, as a write out, as luck. It's a bad example. I also hate, that don't even, moan the death of the baby, for that long, before they end up, going to the audition. It's really, really horrible. Anyways, like I said before, it's nothing, too bad, to get, work up, about. The story was just, not well-written. The acting, on other hand, isn't that bad. Taryn Manning is by far, the strongest actress of the three, in this film, while, Zoe Saldana isn't given much to stand out, besides, being a bitch, in the beginning. Her character, kinda dies out, as the film goes along. As for Britany Spears. She isn't the worst pop singer turn actress in the world. She did impressed, some critics, with her stints on guest spots on televisions shows like 'Saturday Night Live', 'Will & Grace' and others. However, without spoiling the film, too much, her role in this film, was a bit disappointing. The movie spend so much time on her delivering fan service, that it's hard to take her character's seriously. Honestly, if the movie cut scenes of her singing in her underwear and short-shorts, then maybe; people would rethink, her performance. As, for now. It's below standards, because she basically playing herself. As, for the other supporting cast like Anson Mount, Dan Aykroyd, Justin Long and Kim Cattrall. They were alright. Once again, I have, saw them, in worst off films than this. Overall: I have to say, this movie from director, Tamra Davis could had been better. However, the badly written story, combine with shameful product placement, made this film, hard to watch. In the end, this road is better off, being closed off, until it can be, once again, repaired.
