This film was one of the real gems to come out of Sundance, and I was quite surprised to discover that Amber Tamblyn (Stephanie Daley) didn't walk away with the Independent Spirit Award for which she was nominated. I can only imagine that the majority of ISA voters didn't see the film. So far as I can tell, it has been the best reviewed film of 2006 as of the first quarter of the year, and nothing else for which I've seen trailers thus far looks likely to unseat it any time soon. The terms "career building" and "tour de force" are so rabidly overused that they don't do the performances justice in this film -a film that actually deserves such description without sacrificing subtlety. Stephanie Daley should be mandatory viewing for parents and daughters everywhere. It addresses the problems that can arise from the lack of information available to teens. Misconceptions about the "facts of life" due to withholding those facts (from young people) can lead to dire consequences, whether you are a believer of abstinence or a proponent of birth control. Education is the key, and this film presents a very candid, emotional and valid viewpoint that addresses both sides of this hot-topic issue. This film deserves as wide an audience as possible, and support from educators and community leaders will help open a dialogue that benefits all viewpoints, but most importantly benefits our children.
Review of Stephanie Daley
