Review of Speak (2004) by Rob C — 11 Oct 2009

Melinda Sordino (Kristen Stewart) seemed content and happy before going into 9th grade. She had her friends and everything seemed right, until she was raped by a senior at a party at his house. Right after, she called the cops and broke up the entire party. Somehow it didn't go her way and her fellow peers turned against her and started calling her a "squealer". Completely oblivious to why she really called the cops, the students in her following year grade started to harrass her until she was forced into seclusion from everyone. She hardly spoke and when she did, it usually ended up being only a few words. What made it worse is that her parents (D.B. Sweeney and Elizabeth Perkins) were completely inadequate. One sufferied from being too over-worked and another from unemployment. Both never had any time for her somehow.

Speak is filled with great performances from the cast. A few loopholes are ever present here, but the plot stays strong through it all. The more films I see with Kristen Stewart, the more I admire her as an actor. I really didn't know much about her before Twilight. She has quite an impressive background in films and it looks like she will be portraying Joan Jett of The Runaways pretty soon. A film I wouldn't mind seeing. In Speak she gives a pretty witty performance as the protoganist. Even though she hardly speaks through the film, what she has to say in her head is funny. Even when she is told to give an oral report by her English teacher in Mr. Neck (Robert John Burke). Speak is about courage and overcoming the fears of the restraints in your mind. Something that has you from speaking out when you need to the most.