DON'T TALK TO IRENE
Canada, 2017, 90 minutes, Colour.
Michelle Mc Leod, Bruce Gray, Anastasia Phillips, Scott Thompson, Deborah Grover, Joan Gregson, Andy Reid, Aviva Mongillo, James Fry. With Geena Davis as guest.
Directed by Pat Mills.
This is an entertaining story about a girl, aged 15, Irene (Michelle Mc Leod), who has weight problems. She is criticised at school and mocked. But, she wants to be on the cheerleaders team.
Her mother is particularly protective of her, she herself having become pregnant at 16.
However, Irene does have some friends at school, particularly an androgynous boy/girl. But she is also criticised by an attractive young woman who should be her friend.
The novelty of the film is the presence of Geena Davis, mainly as a voice and in a poster. Irene idealising Geena Davis and her height, athletic prowess, her movie appearances. Geena Davis herself is rather deprecating but encouraging of Irene as she lies on her bed looking up to the poster of Geena Davis on her ceiling. There are also some clips from Geena Davis in action, especially in archery.
Irene and the other girl with her boyfriend are sent to a home for the elderly to do work instead of being expelled from school. Irene finds some friends with the elderly and decides to coach some of them in cheerleader moves. The group increases, the manager tolerates it, but Irene wants to audition for a television talent program which the residents watch. They don’t quite get to the audition but do a performance in the square at a town mall. Youtube, of course, saves the day. And Irene is invited to join the cheerleader squad, even to be on top of the pyramid.
The plot is rather similar to a Diane Keaton film, Poms, where she goes to home for the elderly, reluctantly, but energises a group into gymnastics and dance.
1. The title, the tone? The focus on Irene?
2. The Canadian town, the ironic comments about the town and its inhabitants, its way of life, shops, school…? Homes, the school, the residents for the elderly, the malls? The musical score?
3. The blend of reality and fantasy? Irene’s life, with her mother, her mother’s protectiveness and banning social media, her mother’s regrets, pregnancy so young, bringing up her daughter? Irene at school, bullied? The alcoholic teacher, Sarah as confidant? The cross-dressing boy? The poster of Geena Davis, her ambitions to be a cheerleader? Her uniform, painting the letters, her mother’s prohibition?
4. The role of Geena Davis, her status as a film star, the poster on the ceiling, the conversations with Irene? Urging her on, wise advice, never to quit? The glimpses and visuals of Geena Davis, especially archery?
5. The dispute, the principal, being sent to work at the residence? Irene preventing her mother knowing? The interview, the manager, the tasks? The arrival of Charlie and settling him in? Cleaning the wallpaper? The cook and his attitudes? The other students and their work, criticising Irene?
6. The range of residents, Ruth and her assertiveness, Millie and her meekness, ironic conversations, the meals, watching television?
7. Irene, recruiting them, the rehearsals, the use of the Chapel, the reaction of the manager? Charlie and his boxing, getting Irene to hit him? Her later punching the girl and her black eye?
8. The other recruits, the chef helping, the rehearsals, the performance, the moves, the comic touches? The TV show, Irene and her phone call, the plan for the audition, the manager preventing the use of the bus, Charlie stealing the key, the girl punching the tyre?
9. Irene’s mother, her reactions, her work as a driver, her regrets? Locking Irene in, Irene jumping out the window, the performance at the mall, the crowds watching, photographing, the success? And, on Youtube?
10. Irene, her achievement, her self-image, her mother helping, the moves? Geena Davis ending the conversation and moving onto the next client? Irene invited into the team, at the top of the pyramid?
11. The moral of the story – be who you are, acknowledge your talents and qualities, no matter what the difficulties?
