Whole New Thing
2005
Buchbinder, A. (Director)
Canada
Acuity Pictures Production
Filmed in Nova Scotia
Age Range: 14+
Format: Video, Movie
Genre: Independent Film, Drama/Comedy
Rating: 3.5/5



Emerson, an androgynous, home-schooled thirteen year old is forced to attend junior high in the small-town school. Eloquent, intelligent and insightful, yet unskilled in young adult social graces, Emerson is, unsurprisingly, somewhat of an outsider. He falls in love with his English teacher, Mr. Grant, a man on the outside of the small town himself when he sees a kindred soul in the man. Through odd circumstance, Emerson, his parents and Mr. Grant all find peace within themselves and grow together in this odd coming-of-age story.

So, picture it: my boyfriend and I are at the movie store. I'm looking for "young adult" movies to rent to blog about, and I've been cautioned that only one dancing movie is acceptable under our newly fashioned relationship rules (in the car on the way). This does not give me many options. I somehow end up in the independent film section, and remember that, yeah, I used to watch weird little movies in high school - why not! So I choose Whole New Thing based solely on the fact that there's a young adult in it. I'm going to admit that I hardly even read the back. Shame on me.

But you know what? Delightfully surprised! This is one weird movie! But in such good ways! And as a bonus, it was filmed right here in good ol' Nova Scotia, and it's an award winner not only in Atlantic Canada, but also Internationally. I know that I would have probably enjoyed this film as a young adult, but I'm really doubting the mass-marketability of it to teens. I was, well.. weird. I liked weird music and weird books and weird movies and not in the "I hate everything that's mainstream" kind of way, just in the "God, she's dorky, eh?" kind of way. I adore Emerson's character; he's weird and ballsy and has his heart on his sleeve and doesn't really know how else to be. He's my kind of weird. There were scenes that made me a tad uncomfortable: Emerson tricks his teacher-crush into joining him in the sauna (although nothing happens), and Emerson is propositioned by none other than Ken from Street Cents (my childhood! OK.. it's just the guy that played him.. not really Ken), and it's a very intense, emotional and uncomfortable scene. But it's supposed to be.

A movie about small-town life, unhappiness, love, despair, poetry, sex, Shakespeare, inspiration and family, Whole New Thing was definitely worth the late charges!