Confessions of an American Girl (2002)

A pregnant idealistic teen (Jena Malone Saved!) finds that her chaotic trailer-park existence conflicts with her dreams of having the perfect family in this quirky dark comedy.After being rejected by her jerk boyfriend (Erik von Detten) Rena Grubb (Malone) looks for a way out of her turbulent teenage existence. Pinning all her hopes on her dad (Chris Mulkey) who was sent up the river for murder seven years ago Rena convinces her mom (Michelle Forbes) to drag the whole family to the annual prison picnic. Here against a backdrop of sack races barbed wire and conjugal trailers Rena finally comes to terms with her inmate father and her dreams for the future.System Requirements: Running Time 88 MinFormat: DVD MOVIE Genre: DRAMA Rating: R UPC: 027616918338 Manufacturer No: 1007751 Product Description

Jena Malone Fans Could Enjoy

I like Jena Malone, and she does a good job acting in this movie. She struggles to find purpose in her world where her father is missing in her life, and she's pregnant. Her father is not dead but in jail, and he appears not very likable in this movie. So you feel sad for Jena. It seems her only ally is her brother, who I didn't like. I think it's because he's played by Brad Renfro, who was in Ghostworld. He just seems like a doofus. I think Jena's sister is Alicia Witt who didn't portray a likable character either. I think Jena's whole family has troubles, and it is an honest portrayal of what happens when the father is an inmate. February 9, 2008

Surprisingly good film

I've been a fan of Jena Malone since she started acting. I wasn't expecting too much of this film, I didn't even see it make a theatrical release anywhere near hear but I bought it because she's in it and the majority of her movies are well worth watching. We were surprised. I and my 75 year old mom watched this together and completely enjoyed it. Well done, well acted, well written. It's dark. It's funny. It'll make you think. Highly recommended. June 12, 2007

A wonderful indie flick.

Dysfunctional, Open-Minded, and down right humorous describes "Confessions of an American Girl". Jena Malone (Dangerous Lives of Altar Boys, Stepmom) shines in this film, just like she always does. Two things that will always go together are Jena Malone & an Indie/Black Comedy. But I'll have to admit some of the best acting in this film was that of Brad Renfro (The Client). He plays a 'closet' homosexual, and the obvious reason he hides it is because of his "tough as nails" prison father.

A lot of the characters in this film are like a lot of people you know & see in real life. And thought most label them as poor, white trash...You discover in "COAG" that they have passionate souls too.

Also, on another note..Clifton Collins, Jr. was one of the best things in this film, and one of the funniest too. So, buy it, rent it..do what you must. It's great! December 8, 2005

Awesome

The story is interesting and the characterare querky. Malone is great. I really enjoyed this different movie. Something that Hollywood couldnt and wouldnt put out. December 2, 2005

Surprisingly Cool

Highly Recommended as an Example of How to Stage and Sequence a Complex Scene.

If you like black comedy, you should enjoy "Confessions of an American Girl". Rena (Jena Malone) is the embodiment of that old cartoon where the guy is sitting on the ground with a noose around his neck and a broken rope in his hand; captioned "some people can't do anything right". Rena lives in a mobile home with her somewhat "strange" family, is suicide challenged, is pregnant by a guy who doesn't want to be seen in public with her, and blames it all on the unfair eight year absence of her loving father, who is in prison for murder. Her dim idealic memories of her father are somewhat biased.

The highway and its exit ramps are metaphors for her life and her desire to end her life. The film is not quite as good as "Ghost World" but has much the same tone and feel.

Alicia Witt plays Rena's half-sister. Because Malone and Witt are arguably the most intelligent actresses in Hollywood, you immediately wonder about the wisdom of casting them as moronic trailer trash. But Malone has a special talent for playing this kind of "slack-jawed" character and Witt's standard sarcastic teen character works fine even in this environment. Their scenes together are the best ones in the film; with their reconciliation scene toward the end especially good.

Brad Renfro does a good job as Rena brother, O-Lon Jones (remember the waitress in Seinfeld's "Bubble Boy" episode) is excellent in a small role and Clifton Collins Jr. is great as Buddy, the prison trustee, who quickly sizes up the situation and sets the forces of change in motion.

While "American Girl" is an above average film, its main scene (the picnic at the prison which actually takes up the majority of the film) pushes it into cinema classic territory. This scene is an example of the way storytelling should be done, and the pacing is absolutely inspired. It is staged perfectly as Buddy orchestrates a sequence of revelations that changes all four visiting family members. Even if you hate the subject of this film it is worth watching just to see how wonderfully they manage this climatic scene. The disasterous visit over, the family leaves the prison with the statement "it went better than it could have".

Then again, what do I know? I'm only a child.
July 29, 2005

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