Review of Garden Party (2008) by Ola G — 26 Feb 2009

"Garden Party" is an ensemble piece, with some sort of ambition to be something in the line of "Short Cuts" and other similar movies we have seen the past years.

In the centre of the story we meet good looking 15-year old April (Willa Holland). She is trying to find a way out to support herself and as well to dodge her sleazy stepfather. But, she just seems to end up with having to take off her clothes, to be able to reach some of her goals. In the surrounding of April we meet Sally St. Clair (Vinessa Shaw) a real estate agent with a shady past, that combines her regular business with pot pushing. Nathan is her assistant on a 24 hour watch, taking care of Sallys petty things and her pot plants. But, he manages to get stoned all the time in stead and focusing on other stuff. Todd is a porn addicted artist with a bad relationship at his hands. Eventually he gets entangled with Sally, which happens to be his porn dream girl he has seen on the net.. And finally we meet Sammy, a young struggling musician, that goes for any chance he gets. He eventually gets entangled with Nathan that offers him a place to stay, but they look upon his stay from different angles. These 5 main characters meets other people that changes both their path and direction...

This is, well not very good if you ask me. As said the ambitions of trying to be a solid ensemble piece with crossing stories such as "Crash" and "Short Cuts", is not reaching its goal. Not even close actually. This is a story based on a bunch of people using eachother to be able to get what they want. That is fair enough, but the direction and editing is just messy and you never feel engaged into what is happening to each character. It feels too lose in the seems between the stories, and the cliches just swarms all over "Garden Party". I reckon we will see more of Willa Holland, she has the looks and the aura. But, "Garden Party" will hardly be her breaktrough...