just ok coming of age tale

Well acted and well made drama about a teen in crisis. What I found unforgivable was the betrayal of trust on the part of the teacher in the story--an adult, no matter how unhappy his life, only commits this kind act out of pure selfishness and to do such a thing to a girl he knows has been through hell is inexcusable. Everyone involved betrays their responsibility to this girl, and no one tries to get her the help she needs.

Brilliant pairing of Agnes Bruckner and David Strathairn in this disturbing tale. The way it explores vulnerability and motivation was impressive and I'll be looking for other films where the director, Karen Moncrieff has been involved.

A slow paced, beautiful and melancholic film that touched a nerve. Great performance from Agnes Bruckner. Amazing film considering it is writer/director Karen Moncrieff's film debut and was edited on an apple computer. Stunning.

Gripping, raw, dramatic, real, sad, but not too melodramatic. Everything an indie drama should be.

Small but recommendable film about a young girl, growing up in an unstable environment with a lack of people who care for her and various people abusing her. Agnes Bruckner gives an excellent performance as Meg. The story isn't something refreshing and new, but it doesn't disturbs me. The subject is handled very well and the co-actors are good as well. Excellent directing debut by Karen Moncrieff. She managed to make it a remarkable debut. "Blue Car" is an enjoyable film who's certainly worth watching.

A semi-decent film, it could have been better, as i expected alot more from it, but it was still a decent watch, but probably one i'd never watch again.

Very disappointing. The movie just.. tries too hard. Mr. Auster is just a pedophile, nothing more to it.

good female.coming of age story.

I kinda feel sorry for the teacher in this movie. Here is a teenage girl who's father has gone, who's mother is too selfish to to devote any time, interest or patience in her children, and a younger sister who appears hell bent on harming herself. She becomes noticed, and quite rightly encouraged to focus on her talents by her English teacher, who appears nothing but honorable with regards to his interest in her. She comes to him for comfort when her despair is at an uttermost high and although he is uncomfortable in giving her the comfort she requires she sends out a message to him that he is becomming a little bit more than the father figure she is desperately in need of. Even so far as the beach, knowing he has developed feelings for the kid, it seems at no time is he going to abuse his position. Even the kiss on the beach seemed to be a natural act of progress, untill he takes her to his room, and goes too far and allows his urges to get the better of him. She feels violated, cheated maybe and changes her poem from one they've worked on together, into an attack on him. Marvelessly written on a napkin in a diner one afternoon, i didnt quite understand what it was she was so offended by in his book.

Don't understand how this was so popular with critics. It's like a really bad rip-off of American Beauty. I mean, not horrible, but not great either.

Worth seeing. [dvr ifc 2011-01]

A good movie. A difficult story, full of teenage innocence and amorality, and adult confusion too. The story seemed real to me, and made me very uncomfortable. The Guardian called this 'a subtle wise and worrying film'. I think I will be chewing on it for a while.

When a high school English teacher encourages his talented, fatherless female student to enter a poetry contest, he has no idea what he has set in motion...I thought this was a very touching and well done movies and I agree with Mark, five stars.

The third to last scene where Meg recites her poem for the competition is unforgettable.

Mr. Auster is super creepy as the English teacher who gets a litle too close. Uncomfortable viewing at times.

Very disappointing. The movie just.. tries too hard. Mr. Auster is just a pedophile, nothing more to it.

A semi-decent film, it could have been better, as i expected alot more from it, but it was still a decent watch, but probably one i'd never watch again.

Karen Moncrieff is the best American filmmaker you've never heard of. It's ridiculous that her work is so little talked about. "Blue Car," her first film, at times borders on greatness. It drifts into pretentiousness and preciousness one too many times, but for a filmmaker to get close to greatness her first time out is nothing short of amazing. (Moncrieff, I should point out, got even closer to greatness with her second film, the bizarrely under-rated "The Dead Girl," which I consider the second-best film of 2006, after Darren Aronofsky's "The Fountain.") "Blue Car" tells a delicate story of an exceptionally bright teenage girl cast adrift by a self-absorbed mother who barely notices when she's in the room. The girl retreats into herself, explores sad memories of being abandoned by her father, and ends up penning poetry that dazzles and frightens her intelligent but lonely English teacher (played beautifully by David Strathairn.) He volunteers to coach her after school to develop her poetry even further, and so begins a journey that sometimes is too beautiful and too painful for both of them. The film gets sidetracked into a separate drama concerning the girl's younger sister, which weakens the film and makes its sadness a bit over-thick. But the journey of discovery that the girl and man go on is at times the stuff of great literature. Actress Agnes Bruckner gives a breakthrough performance as the girl, and it is beyond belief that she wasn't nominated for an Oscar. Her work is so good that I venture to say that hers is the best teenage acting performance of the decade. "Blue Car" helps to remind us how life-changing and essential friendships between teenagers and adults can be -- but also how overwhelming and destabilizing they can be. As tough as these relationships are -- for both parties -- they are often the crucible in which new life, and new art, is born.

Blue car has no symbolic story and in other ways too it's not complex. There are many happenings and simple straight told points. I think it's boring!