HATING ALISON ASHLEY
Review by C. Bruce (Excerpt) - Verdict: 80/100

Saskia Burmeister is Erica Yurken in ‘Hating Alison Ashley’ and tells this tale of teenage angst in voiceover. This narration works as Burmeister has a large enough emotional range to call on to cover all her feelings and desires and her feelings of total inadequacy when Alison Ashley arrives at Erica’s school, Barringa East High. Alison Ashley is the new kid on the block but the trouble with this kid is that she seems perfect and can do no wrong – everything she touches turns to gold – and the casting of Delta Goodrem is simply perfect too. Goodrem has the right look of the golden child …

The support cast here are great. Jean Kittson is at her comedic best as Nigella Belmont, the teacher who takes on Erica’s class 9C with an iron fist that only Kittson could wear. Craig McLachlan over hams it up as the loser and klutzy phys-ed teacher, Mr Kennard, Tracy Mann has her heart in the right place as Erica’s mother and kudos to Richard Carter for his role as Lennie, the gap-toothed truck driver and soon-to-be stepfather to Erica, who’s a lot smarter than he looks. These characters, along with Erica’s siblings and a budding romance with the school yobbo, Barry Hollis, mould Erica into something she thinks she doesn’t want to be. Erica spends so much time and energy trying to dissociate herself from her seemingly dysfunctional family and strive to be something she’s not, that she loses sight of who she really is.

The character of Erica would not have been so damn good had it not been for Saskia Burmeister, who is just such an impressive Erica. This movie really belongs to Burmeister and she deserves the highest praise for her ability to convey all the emotions of a teenager in crisis. Bravo Saskia.

‘Hating Alison Ashley’ is a funny, loving and genuine movie about being a teenager and reconciling oneself that growing up really is happening. It is about family, or lack of, and about friendships and trust. Sure, there are some flaws, but it is so endearing these can be overlooked as the character of Erica takes you on a small journey of her outlook on life.

This really is one of the better Australian movies of late that has enough to appeal to a wide audience.

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