MARGARET

‘Margaret,’ directed by Kenneth Lonergan, barely made it into cinemas at two and a half hours long; in fact, it took six long years to be released, after a swarm of legal and financial troubles slowed its journey to the screen. However, the finished product is extraordinary, an unflinching look at the ambiguous morality of modern urban life, a bleak take on a ‘coming of age’ tale. Anna Paquin stars as Lisa, giving an uncomfortably realistic portrayal of a self-absorbed and affected teenage girl jolted out of her black-and-white notions of right and wrong after witnessing a horrific accident. Her well-meaning attempts to take some responsibility clash with the more pragmatic ethics of the real world, and so her determination to find some resolution begins to harm both herself and the people around her, such as her mother (J. Smith-Cameron) and teacher (Matt Damon). Lisa’s increasingly hysterical self-centredness is both exasperating and utterly relatable, and Paquin’s performance is raw and touching. The film feels just as volatile as its unstable protagonist, veering without warning into violence and horror, whilst unapologetically studying the failings of each character, so that no one comes out of it well. Although praised by critics, ‘Margaret’ was only shown in one cinema in London – but don’t let its lack of commercial success deter you! I would really recommend getting hold of it any way you can.