Based on playwright Dawn O'Leary's titular play (she also adapted the screenplay), Admissions is a somewhat overheated drama with plenty of grace notes and several lovely performances. Lauren Ambrose plays Evie, a high school graduate so wrapped up in what the future holds for her sister Emily, a retarded savant, that she sabotages her chances of being admitted to a good college. An aspiring poet, Evie also allows her mother (Amy Madigan) to believe that her verse is actually Emily's own spontaneous, lyrical ramblings. While director Melissa Painter does a fine job drawing out O'Leary's thesis that long-term guilt suffocates the living, the shift to the big screen has problems: one of the film's important settings (a hobby room, full of model trains, where Evie's father virtually lives) looks very artificial, while certain dramatic sequences come across as overwrought, seen through the too-intimate close-up of the camera lens. Still, Ambrose and Madigan shine, as does Christopher Lloyd as a teacher inspired by the notion that Emily is a genuine poet. A strong optional purchase. (T. Keogh)
Admissions
Hart Sharp, 84 min., not rated, VHS: $49.99, DVD: $26.99, June 28 Volume 20, Issue 4
Admissions
Star Ratings
As of March 2022, Video Librarian has changed from a four-star rating system to a five-star one. This change allows our reviewers to have a wider range of critical viewpoints, as well as to synchronize with Google’s rating structure. This change affects all reviews from March 2022 onwards. All reviews from before this period will still retain their original rating. Future film submissions will be considered our new 1-5 star criteria.
Order From Your Favorite Distributor Today: