By Jan Hamilton
Synopsis Source: SXSW
It’s April in Anaconda, Montana,and headstrong teenager Mickey Peck (Camila Morrone) is doing what she can to keep her single, veteran father (James Badge Dale) afloat, navigating his mercurial moods, opioid addiction, and grief over the loss of his wife. Secretly, Mickey fantasizes of going to college on the west coast and finally living life on her own terms. When Hank’s controlling, jealous behavior turns destructive, Mickey must decide between familial obligation and personal fulfillment as she puts everything on the line to claim her own independence.
This was the first film I saw at the 2019 SXSW Film Festival, and it is a good one. It captures the mixed up feelings of a girl, not quite a woman, who is torn between what seems to be her responsibilities and
what she longs to do. She constantly excuses her out-of-control father, who has every reason to be a mess, but who still makes no real effort to help himself. This, combined with a handsome but selfish boyfriend, act like an anchor pulling her down and keeping her from being who she is meant to be. Camila Morrone is wonderful and believable as Mickey. James Badge Dale is as great as he is in The Pacific . This is a fast paced, compelling film that will have you hoping that Mickey finds her way.