Billy the Kid

Not to be confused with the famed Western outlaw, 15-year-old Billy Price doesn't carry a gun, but he does walk a lonely path in first-time filmmaker Jennifer Venditti's compassionate documentary. A resident of rural Lisbon Falls, ME, Billy rocks out to KISS, practices karate, and makes startlingly mature statements such as, “I'm always at war with myself” and “I'm not black, I'm not white, not foreign...just different in the mind.” Billy, who shares a double-wide trailer with his mother Penny, unseen stepfather Paul, and little brother Ethan, speaks directly to the camera for the most part, while Penny fills in the blanks with stories of her son's upbringing. Recalling the “horrendous” temper tantrums of Billy's infant years, for instance, Penny touches on her first indications that Billy wasn't like other kids; after his biological father took off, Billy faced serious abandonment issues as well (Billy was diagnosed with Aspergers syndrome after filming was completed). Here, Billy exhibits the same hopes and desires as other high school students, setting his sights on 16-year-old Heather, a shy diner employee with a vision problem whom Billy sees as a damsel in distress (although as the Bard reminds us, the course of true love never does run smooth). A powerful, heartfelt documentary about a unique adolescent, this is highly recommended. [Note: DVD extras include audio commentary by director Jennifer Venditti and Ryan Gosling (“a big fan”), interviews with director Venditti (24 min.), Venditti's short film “Pieces that Don't Fit” (23 min.), eight music tracks from the film, an eight-page booklet with a new essay by Miranda July and comments by Look Me in the Eye author John Elder Robison, and trailers. Bottom line: a fine extras package for an excellent doc.] (K. Fennessy)