Cheap New Waterford Girl (DVD) (Allan Moyle) Price

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Customer Reviews of New Waterford Girl

Splendid Little Canadian Film
I remember seeing this film when it was playing in American art house theaters, while enjoying a successful run as one of Canada's most popular films. I decided to see "New Waterford Girl" since someone had described it as a Canadian "Angela's Ashes" (I believe it was more popular in Canada than the film adaptation of "Angela's Ashes".), set in the predominantly Irish Canadian town of New Waterford, Cape Breton Island. And I am delighted that I saw it in a trendy Manhattan art house theater, simply because I regard it as one of the funniest comedies I've ever seen, replete with great acting from newcomer Liane Balaban to Cathy Moriarty (The New York actress best known for her work in the film "Raging Bull"). Director Allan Moyle successfully captures the lively, rollicking spirit of the Irish Canadian community, though at its heart, the film is focused on teen-aged Moonie (Liane Balaban) and her desire to find a better life for herself in New York City. This fine little film is blessed not only with splending acting from its ensemble cast, but also great cinematography of New Waterford and the surrounding Cape Breton coast and a fine rock and roll score composed by several young Canadian composers (One of whom is a relative of mine.).

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Teen Girls Will Love It
Quirky provincials Canadian style highlight New Waterford Girl. Apparently the southern United States has been spared the you-alls and we get Cape Breton brogues to make fun of. Liane Balaban, Mooney is smarter than her neighbors and family. She yearns to get out of the desolate coastal mining town she wanders in a daze. <
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> It is hard to date this pictures' era, but I'm guessing, because all the cars look like rusted late 60's, the boy's hair-do's are over the ears, and because the music played at the local teen beer bash are from 8-tracks, Mooney and her new girlfriend from the States, Tara Spencer-Naim, are living in late 70's, maybe early 80's. <
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> Quirkiness requires exaggeration. Moony's dad has a funeral and a wedding together to save money. Moony is told by her family to forget her dreams and be like them, accepting of small town life. Tara comes into Mooney's world and they go on a drinking, boy kissing, cad-bashing spree. Are any of the convolutions of this plot realistic? No, but we do sympathize with Moony's desire to get to New York City. This is a sweet movie with some cursing, and teen girls will love it. <
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Trying to Leave
Mooney Pottie is an eccentric, teenage, odd duck in the small Irish-Catholic town of New Waterford on Cape Breton, Nova Scotia---a town where the mere mention of the Blessed Virgin will stop a sinner "in his tracks". Played to perfection by Liane Balaban, Mooney is determined to escape from her small-town life by any means possible (including cleverly trying to get herself a false bad reputation and then planning to tell her parents she is pregnant so they will send her away).

Mooney befriends a new neighbor, Lou (played with brilliant perfection by Tara Spencer-Nairn) after an initial period of wariness at this transplanted New Yorker's enthusiasm for New Waterford.

This comedy reveals its quirky twist in the first scene, a wedding and funeral being held at the same time in the local Catholic church. The pregnant bride shares the altar with her father's casket - showing the inherent thrift of the locals! Of course, sorting out the sympathy and wedding cards becomes a bit of a problem.

The authenticity of the script can be attributed to the fact that it was written by a woman who actually lived in New Waterford in the 70s, the time in which the movie is set.

Despite her desire to get out, we see the beautiful, if rough, vista of Nova Scotia through Mooney's eyes and realize the pull this incredible coastal area has on her.

A delightful film---every actor does a fine job and the coastal settings are spectacular.