It Felt Like Love

The overt sexuality in Eliza Hittman's coming-of-age drama might have once been considered shocking, but in these teen-twerking days, the novelty here lies more in the fact that inexperienced heroine Lila (Gina Piersanti) is merely role-playing an attitude of bedroom sophistication and promiscuity, being a 14-year-old virgin herself. During a torrid summer vacation season at her ocean-fronting hometown of Gravesend, NJ, Lila vicariously lives through the antics of the more worldly Chiara (Giovanna Salimeni), a 16-year-old dance-school classmate who has had at least three affairs. Lila herself gravitates towards a guy whom Chiara disdains, loutish college undergrad Sammy (Ronen Rubinstein), who hangs out with his buddies, smoking pot and watching porn. Lila even pretends to sleep with Sammy while he's drunk, hoping he'll not remember that they actually did nothing. The lone adult—Lila's widowed, cynical father—grumbles but otherwise remains passive about his wayward daughter's constant breaking of curfew. Hittman makes good use of the leading lady's wounded, expressive face, even if Lila remains something of a tight-lipped cipher—very likely not even knowing what she herself wants from the dark, grownup world of relationships. Recommended. [Note: DVD extras include audio commentary by director Eliza Hittman, Hittman's 2011 short “Forever's Gonna Start Tonight” (16 min.), an image gallery, and a trailer. Bottom line: a solid extras package for a winning teen drama.] (C. Cassady)