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We Are the Mods, a film by E.E. Cassidy
- USA, 2008, 85 min.
in this compelling narrative of the usual teen thrills: sex, drugs and rock ’n’ roll." -- from the Frameline catalogue.
- Review by Carl Macki
"We Are The Mods" is a slightly off-key teen romance that is set in the environs of Los Angeles and invigorated with a gleam of Brighton 60s modness that can't be touched -- and which carries well into the lives of the characters. Mainly it is about the relationship of Sadie and Nico, offset by Nico's boyfriend, Tregg, whose coolness only seems to cover his dorkiness.
Opposites start to attract and then glow warm. Sadie is clueless as to fashion and social cliques at her high school and is delightfully naive. Nico is sultry, and domineering -- an ingenue more experienced in partying than finding her way home. Nico steals coke from her mother's stash, she flirts and teases whoever and whenever. Clubbing is part of her religion.
On the other hand, Sadie is shy, bashful, and somewhat dorky. She's an art nerd, with photography her idolized vocation.
Becoming modish and stylish, at the prompting of Nico, Sadie temporarily loses her way, and her intended college, her only choice really after high school, a prestigious art college in Vermont, turns her down, after Sadie, due to last night partying, shows up late for her admissions interview.
When Sadie first met Nico as a new arrival in her scene, she is entranced by Nico's good looks and self-assuredness.
Nico's only obvious liability is that she's suffering from Milroy’s disease -- which causes an obtuse swelling in one of her feet. A club foot that's not to stop her from dancing in the clubs.
Sadie never really says goodbye to her Betty Crocker home life with mom and her family, as the two friends indulge each other, take scooter rides, enjoy rowdty club scenes, do coke, and rumble along an underlying theme that touches upon but does not involve group sex.
Still Sadie would rather remain behind the lens of a camera, while Nico is an unquiet exhibitionist. This is a classic introvert/extrovert matchup.
In
one over-the-top scene, Nico, and a woman who is selling a scooter to
Sadie, engage in some nude scenes -- exactly how far they go is not
shown -- while Sadie photographs them, for the benefit
of the woman and her male partner. These photos eventually get out on
the Internet, they were placed there by Nico, even though she told
Sadie that
what they did to get the scooter would remain unseen.
Sadie is shy but not prudish. She sleeps with Nico's
boyfriend, and with Nico, though not at the same time. Eventually,
however,the
relationship comes to a hesitant conclusion. and Sadie walks out of the
affair, ready to make a fresh start at an art school in Chicago that
her
photgraphy teacher suggests she attend.
This movie started out of the block a bit hapless. It but
soon found its groove, and the storytelling stayed
interesting. The club scenes are precious and the soundtrack was
quite moving, filled with Northern Soul.
I can't say I know much about the mod scene in Los Angeles. It seemed to ring true, however, and I loved the way the story unfolded. It could have gone the way of "Superbad." Instead it went for sighs rather than guffaws.
This is a good first effort by E.E. Cassidy and writer Bruce Pavalon. Marie Elise Harden plays Nico, Melia Renee is Sadie and Lance Drake plays Tregg, Nico's boyfriend. They are all terrific. The movie keeps on puttering like a Vespa -- oh excuse me, a Lambretta!
The offfical website for the film is at: http://wearethemods.com.
This Festival features films of interest to the Lesbian, Bi, Gay and Transgendered communities, but not exclusively. Visit their website.