We Loved Fantastic Birthday

Welcome to a funny and barred cinematographic tale. Fantastic Birthday, a beautiful first movie in theaters Wednesday, March 22.

Greta is soon 15, which is null, has just arrived in a new college, which is also null, and must undergo a birthday party organized against his will by his embarrassing mother, which is even worse. And if Greta went to take refuge in the little imaginary world of her childhood?

With Fantastic Birthday, we plunge into the hell of adolescence, its obstacles, here in the form of malefic triplets made up in the Paint-Ball, and its allies, here a nerd reddish enough perfect.

But we are not in American Pie and his heavy humor, nor in Larry Clark and his sensual spleen. With her first film, Australian director Rosemary Myers ventures into absurd humor, often cold, supported by an ultra cool soundtrack and well-sized characters.

Decor 70s, carefully composed plans … Film lovers will recognize the influence of the licked and pictorial style of Wes Anderson, with this same occasional tendency to stifle his intrigue on layers of pop varnish.

On the universe side, one falls to Lewis Carroll with an intrusion of the fantastic, metaphor of this complicated changeover between the childhood that leaves and the adulthood that threatens. The atmosphere of nightmare sins a little for lack of budget and by the impression of déjà-vu, but we came out of this refreshing fable all happy and (almost) nostalgic high school. It’s strong.

Fantastic Birthday by Rosemary Myers with Bethany Whitmore, Harrison Feldman, Matthew Whittet, Amber McMahon and Eamon Farren.

By Pauline Grand d’Esnon

Originally appeared on Neon