Turning Paige (2001) Reviews

• impressive & moving

  lus_cious2001-09-09

  I happened across this film at the Montreal International Film Festival and was thoroughly rewarded. An excellent portrayal of the complexities of family relationships, and the painful process of awakening to truth. Katherine Isabelle's performance was so rock-solid that my belief in who she was didn't falter for a second. In fact most of the actors gave amazing performances, in roles that were complex, and in some cases, I think, untypical of what an audience might suspect. An unassuming movie that worked very well.

• Convincing portrayal of a believable family.

  RuthDavenport2072002-05-31

  I would say that this is a good to very good film. It is quite believable, almost too much so. The father and daughter (the daughter is Paige) are portrayed incredibly realistically. It is nice to see this type of portrayal of a teenager for once. The brother is good too as the character who returns with a hidden agenda...to get his sister to look around herself and to admit that she is clinging to a past and present that isn't real, only made up to suit her own denial. It takes patience at times, but the movie is well worth it in the end.

• Really quite good

  hamish_sunder2001-12-13

  One never knows what to expect at a film festival, part of the charm I guess. This movie really surprised me and the person I went with. Paige, the story's main character, has to go through a series of challenges to avoid being confronted with the truth about her family. The end result is realistic and haunting, not unlike the rest of the film. Ms. Isabelle's performance as Paige was exceptional. One hopes a movie like this can be seen in a wide release.

• Sparse film making (and that is a good thing)

  juliarules352002-09-08

  This will not be for everyone but I loved this film. It had the benchmarks of what I appreciate in an independent work; believable acting and a story that didn't compromise itself (or the characters) with a out of place and overly uplifting ending. There are a few small bumps along the way, all forgivable for a solid film such as this.

• Mostly good. Katherine Isabelle. Wow.

  kimbergotyou2002-03-05

  This girl is going places, mark my words. Playing down the typical, overused nuances that every teen actor seems to revel in, Katherine Isabelle delivers a subtle performance that is the strongest part of this independent movie. Her dad is very good too. Strong support characters that come and go through her life, some disappearing and others sticking around to the bitter end. The direction and handling of this film is to the point and mostly very effective.