#REVIEW: “WHITE BIRD IN A BLIZZARD”

If there’s anyone who understands the sexual complexities of a Sexual Awakening, it certainly is acclaimed Filmmaker Gregg Araki, who brought is the phenomenal Mysterious Skin, Splendor and Nowhere. Based on the Novel of the same name by Laura Kasischke, White Bird in a Blizzard dares for that same edginess those named Films possess but alas just misses the mark.

The Drama/Thriller centers around Kat (Shailene Woodley), whom at the age of 17 has her Mother disappear on her. We witness a complex range of emotions as Kat becomes involved sexually with her Neighbour Phil (Shiloh Fernandez). At once, we learn that her Mother Eve (Eva Green) once had a wild past. Forced to confront her current mundane life married to Brock (Christopher Meloni) and also her Daughter’s trysts, Eve begins acting out and tensions mount between Kat and Eve.  Admittedly, Kat seems unaffected by her Mother’s disappearance, but we see how this increasingly affects her. At the suggestion of others, Kat begins to suspect that her Father killed her Mother, although like Kat we never are quite sure.

One of the greatest challenges of translating this Story to the Big Screen is that much of the weight of the Film winds up falling on the phenomenal Woodley. Unfortunately, she never quite seems fully comfortable with the explicitness of the role and Kat‘s carefree spirit. The amazing talents of Meloni and Oscar-nominated Gabourey Sidibe (who plays Best Friend Beth) fully are under-utilized in this sex-obsessed bit of a Thriller, which never quite achieves the depths and heights of suspense it should. Green however, truly disappears into her torn-Mother role and is rather brilliant and terrifying at times, while others in the Ensemble are painfully self-aware.

Also, one cannot deny the hypnotic and ethereal Soundtrack to the Film, overseen by Cocteau Twins Co-Founder Robin Guthrie and also Harold Budd.  Fans of Woodley – and there are many – might be curious at a peek, but others may find it a bit difficult to connect with.

Video Services Corp. release WHITE BIRD IN A BLIZZARD.