Daydream Nation

A wise-beyond-her-years teenager moves from the city to the country during her senior year in this dreamy Canadian dramedy. At Hargrove High, students bully anyone who stands out from the crowd, while drugs run rampant—convenient, since Caroline (Kat Dennings) likes to smoke marijuana, a habit that leads her to shy stoner Thurston (Reece Thompson). While Thurston awkwardly attempts to win over Caroline, she aggressively pursues English teacher Barry Anderson (Josh Lucas), an aspiring novelist. Seducing a man in a position of authority doesn't make her the most sympathetic figure (the femme fatale–like Dennings narrates in a purposefully blasé style), but it's not as if he puts up much of a fight. Initially, Caroline hangs out with Thurston to throw people off the scent of her illicit affair, but then she feels pressure to maintain the façade when her grumpy widowed father (Ted Whittall) hits it off with Thurston's single mother (Andie MacDowell). Things come to a head when Caroline falls for Thurston just as Anderson falls for her. Director Michael Goldbach also throws suspense into the plot mix in the form of a serial killer roaming the town. While the various pieces don't necessarily mesh, cynicism does eventually give way to hope, somewhat redeeming this uneven film. A strong optional purchase. [Note: DVD/Blu-ray extras include a behind-the-scenes featurette (7 min.), and trailers. Bottom line: a small extras package for an awkward coming-of-age film.] (K. Fennessy)