Filled to the brim with heart, soul and admiration, Abe Sylvia's Dirty Girl is an additively wild ride that provides just enough bite to really make a point.
Rising star Juno Temple plays Danielle, a rebellious teen who uses her sex appeal and provocative attitude to turn heads and make waves in her small Oklahoma town. But when a classroom stunt lands her in a remedial class of misfits, the joke is suddenly turned on her. After being paired with Clarke, an out-of-the-closet youth whose father refuses to accept the obvious, on a parenting assignment Danielle gets a new leash on life, venturing out to find her real father and change her fate forever.
Based loosely (and I do mean loosely) on director Abe Sylvia's real life experiences (or imagined experiences) with his own high school's 'dirty girl', the film gives audiences a unique combination of humor, drama and heart that is often missing from today's character driven pieces. Temple and Jeremy Dozier (Clarke) share a forceful bond, lighting up the screen as both deliver a solid performance as the film's young, co-leads.
But the buck doesn't stop there. Milla Jovovich turns heads as Sue-Ann, an out of character role for the young actress. Throw in strong supporting work from Mary Steenburgen, Dwight Yoakam and William H. Macy, along with extended cameos by Nicholas D'Agosto and Tim McGraw, and you quickly find yourself wrapped up in the world of Danielle and Clarke.
Without censors and without an agenda, Dirty Girl tells a true to life story that pulls at your heartstrings from start to finish. You can't help but become invested as you witness two budding high schoolers discover life and experience a journey of true self-discovery. A stellar cast and precise direction by Sylvia make Dirty Girl a fun and enjoyable surprise that stands out as, hands down, one of the best films of the year.
