Review of Picture Day (2012) by Michael S — 21 Dec 2013

The only reason I watched this film was because of the impressive performance of Tatiana Maslany in Orphan Black. I was not disappointed. The writing has enough realism, humor and irony to to engage and maintain interest.

The main two characters Claire and Henry, both develop throughout the film and by the end I was invested and engaged in both of them. From the beginning of the film the character of Claire was presented overtly as sad, immature and lost.

Claire was realistic, familiar and sad to watch. I was unsure why I should invest anything in this person. The person that solves this dilemma is Henry, who is immediately archetypal and conveniently likable.

At this point I begin to notice all the parallels and connections between relationships that exist between the characters. One thing I was afraid that the film would do is to have Claire ruin the platonic friendship between herself and Henry that was developing.

I was impressed that they did not ruin this relationship and, by the end, had a strange, intimate and ultimately constructive relationship. I was impressed by the irony and dry humor throughout the film.

Turn Claire's lies about Henry being a suicidal LSD dealer (a very serious and immature thing), into Henry making LSD at his house and becoming dealer, yet telling his parents it is a science project.

...very funny, yet tragic.