Margaret (2011)

This is a fantastic film - one of the best I've seen in a long time.  It should have been an award contender (I guess in 2011?), thought that was never meant to be. 

Kenneth Lonergan wrote and directed this film, then assembled a fantastic cast.  He got amazing performances from everyone, but especially from Anna Paquin and J. Smith-Cameron. There are a lot of big stars here:  Matt Damon, Matthew Brokerick, Jean Reno, Mark Ruffalo, but they don't monopolize their scenes or the film.  The film stands on it own - its dialog and cinematography and performances. 

The film follows Lisa Cohen (Anna P), an intelligent, upper West-side NY teenager as she deals with the repercussions of a tragic event that she didn't just witness, but in which she was very much involved.  Lisa tries to talk to the adults in her sphere, but they don't help.  I'm not even sure they see the problem, and some don't want to help in any case.  They have their own problems. 

The beauty of this film is that we get to see everyone's issues - in their actions and reactions, as emotion plays across faces, in body language.  The editing here allows us to see people's reactions to Lisa as well as their own problems.  I often leave a movie thinking it needed more editing, but not here - I wanted more film. 

And that's why this movie wasn't up for awards.  Margaret was filmed in 2005 but has been mired in litigation, apparently over the length of the movie and Lonergan's inability to cut the film to 2.5 hours.  It finally made it through the system in late 2011 and was released in LA (and NY I assume).  Without advertising, however, it was gone in a couple of weeks and is now on DVD.  It's sad - this is a great, great film.  Pick it up.  It runs 2.5 hours, but I would take more.