Turning Paige (2001) User Reviews

Really quite good

[hamish_sunder · 7/10 · 13 December 2001]

One never knows what to expect at a film festival, part of the charm I guess. This movie really surprised me and the person I went with. Paige, the story's main character, has to go through a series of challenges to avoid being confronted with the truth about her family. The end result is realistic and haunting, not unlike the rest of the film.

Ms. Isabelle's performance as Paige was exceptional. One hopes a movie like this can be seen in a wide release.

impressive & moving

[lus_cious · 9 September 2001]

I happened across this film at the Montreal International Film Festival and was thoroughly rewarded. An excellent portrayal of the complexities of family relationships, and the painful process of awakening to truth. Katherine Isabelle's performance was so rock-solid that my belief in who she was didn't falter for a second. In fact most of the actors gave amazing performances, in roles that were complex, and in some cases, I think, untypical of what an audience might suspect. An unassuming movie that worked very well.

Convincing portrayal of a believable family.

[RuthDavenport207 · 8/10 · 31 May 2002]

I would say that this is a good to very good film. It is quite believable, almost too much so. The father and daughter (the daughter is Paige) are portrayed incredibly realistically. It is nice to see this type of portrayal of a teenager for once.

The brother is good too as the character who returns with a hidden agenda...to get his sister to look around herself and to admit that she is clinging to a past and present that isn't real, only made up to suit her own denial. It takes patience at times, but the movie is well worth it in the end.

Sparse film making (and that is a good thing)

[juliarules35 · 8/10 · 8 September 2002]

This will not be for everyone but I loved this film. It had the benchmarks of what I appreciate in an independent work; believable acting and a story that didn't compromise itself (or the characters) with a out of place and overly uplifting ending.

There are a few small bumps along the way, all forgivable for a solid film such as this.

Excellent family drama

[CAM-5 · 9/10 · 2 October 2001]

The film centers on Paige (Katharine Isabelle), a high school student who has grown up in a dysfunctional family and lives with her father. Trouble sets in when her brother Trevor (Philip DeWilde) returns to town. Trevor and the father (Nicholas Campbell) had had an altercation in the past and Paige has not forgiven her brother for this and wants nothing to do with him. The father wants to reconcile with his son and invites him to stay with them for awhile. Conflict between brother and sister soon sets in. The entire cast gives wonderful performances. I especially liked Isabelle's performance as the troubled, imaginative teen. The film also had good character development.

Mostly good. Katherine Isabelle. Wow.

[kimbergotyou · 8/10 · 5 March 2002]

This girl is going places, mark my words. Playing down the typical, overused nuances that every teen actor seems to revel in, Katherine Isabelle delivers a subtle performance that is the strongest part of this independent movie. Her dad is very good too. Strong support characters that come and go through her life, some disappearing and others sticking around to the bitter end. The direction and handling of this film is to the point and mostly very effective.