Margaret
Margaret

Margaret

2011Movie150 minEnglish

17-year-old Lisa feels certain that she inadvertently played a role in causing a traffic accident that claimed a woman's life. In her attempts to set things right, she meets with opposition at every step. Torn apart with frustration, she begins emotionally brutalizing her family, her friends, her teachers, and, most of all, herself. She has been confronted quite unexpectedly with a basic truth: that her youthful ideals are on a collision course with the realities and compromises of the adult world.

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Insights

IMDb6.5/10
Rotten Tomatoes70%
Metacritic60
Google Users78%
Director: Kenneth LonerganGenres: Drama

Plot Summary

A grieving teenager grapples with the aftermath of a tragic accident she feels responsible for. As she navigates her complex relationships with her mother, stepfather, and friends, she embarks on an intense and often self-destructive quest for emotional truth and absolution. Her journey is marked by a raw and unflinching exploration of guilt, memory, and the search for meaning in the face of profound loss.

Critical Reception

Margaret received widespread critical acclaim, particularly for its ambitious scope, Lonergan's screenplay and direction, and the powerful performances of its lead actors, especially Anna Paquin. While its lengthy runtime and sprawling narrative structure were points of discussion, the film was largely lauded for its emotional depth and realistic portrayal of complex human relationships and grief.

What Reviewers Say

  • Praised for its raw emotional honesty and powerful performances, particularly from Anna Paquin.
  • Recognized for Kenneth Lonergan's masterful direction and deeply humanistic storytelling.
  • Noted for its sprawling, ambitious narrative that delves into complex themes of grief and guilt.

Google audience: Viewers found the film to be a powerful and emotionally resonant exploration of grief and adolescence, with many praising Anna Paquin's performance. Some found the length and narrative to be challenging, but overall it was appreciated for its depth and realism.

Fun Fact

The film's troubled production and release history, which included multiple reshoots and a significantly delayed distribution, became as much a talking point as the film itself.

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