Freaktana A Major Disappointment

RipDelight This is a tender, generous movie that likes its characters and presents them as real people, full of flaws and strengths.

Tayloriona Although I seem to have had higher expectations than I thought, the movie is super entertaining.

Stephanie There is, somehow, an interesting story here, as well as some good acting. There are also some good scenes

ematerso The writer is maybe better as an actress. The story told was overlong and disjointed. Why did the seemingly very acceptable, lover/boyfriend become an assailant and why did his girl friend submit? Why was her new male interest so very apathetic while at the same time being totally available? The difficulty of having a blended family and also caring for a critically ill person was very well expressed. while at the same time the heroine, seemed unnecessarily testy with the patient, her father. And this is maybe a silly complaint but the people who were supposed to be related by blood bore no physical relationship to each other. That was disconcerting. Still kudos to a writer/director/actress for putting it out there. My family also has a budding film maker so I realize what a rocky path it is.

leenyc99-1 In Negri's quiet film debut, you feel as if you're entering her character's living room and watching the actions play out in a very intimate way, as if you're part of the family . Negri and Robert Vaughn give strong, understated performances that feel truthful and pull you in close. The film has so many beautiful and tender moments that feel very personal, even autobiographical. I think it's an amazing debut achievement with a distinct voice and I look forward to future titles by this director.

countryshack If you are ever having a bad time in your life, watch this miserable movie. It will make your life seem like a great day at Disney World. The movie starts off slow and depressing and then goes down from there. I challenge any guy to keep his eyes open for the whole hour and thirty minutes that this misery is on screen. I noticed that 3 people rated this anchor a 10! What? Is there another movie named Gold Star or something? Because this complete waste of time is a 3 at best. The acting is good so maybe it would be something for a student to watch or something. Other than than, avoid this waste of film and watch Anything else.

Theresa Basile It's not easy to make a compelling film about a character who's mired in inaction, but Gold Star achieves that with a thoughtful and moving portrayal of a woman moving adrift through her life until a family emergency forces her to uproot her current situation and make some immediate changes.There has been much conversation among feminist and artist circles about the importance of telling stories about complex women - women who are flawed and real and not necessarily "likable" in the traditional sense. Vicki is that kind of character we're looking for. She resents having to change her life to help take care of her father, even though her life was unfulfilling. She's brittle and caustic to people who don't deserve it. But she's also unhappy and lost, wanting answers without knowing the right questions to ask. As a director, Victoria Negri shows several scenes of Vicki lying in bed, aimlessly looking over her phone, juxtaposed with scenes of her running faster and faster - towards what? We don't know, and neither does Vicki. Her journey to self-fulfillment has no easy answers. Vicki is both helped and hindered by the people in her life - by her family members, friends, and love interests. The character relationships make up the strongest aspect of this moving film. The love between her parents, played wonderfully by Catherine Curtin and the late Robert Vaughn in his last screen role, has none of the showiness of on-screen dramatic romances, and all of the tenderness, compassion, and devotion of a real-life married couple. Vicki's relationship with her mother, relatively honest with open communication, contrasts with the more distant relationship with her father, which changes and progresses realistically as she grows into her caregiving role and they understand each other better - ironically, after he's lost the ability to speak. Not enough can be said about the talent of Robert Vaughn, communicating so effectively with a wordless performance. This thoughtful, moving story is a truly impressive debut from Victoria Negri, who has definitely become a filmmaker to watch.