With a group of young Hollywood actresses on the rise. There seems to be only two kind of group of young actresses to fall on. For anyone who wants to achieve a major level of stardom with huge salary and load of attention, they're likely to turn to the likes of Lindsay Lohan, Jessica Alba, or Hilary Duff. Anyone wanting to seek some kind of artistic credibility, they're more likely to turn to the likes of Natalie Portman, Scarlett Johansson, and Evan Rachel Wood. Then, there's Jena Malone, who is likely to fall in the latter category. Yet unlike Portman and Johansson, Malone doesn't seem to have the desire to seek any kind of commercial credibility the two are after. Yet with acclaimed performances in films like Bastard Out of Carolina, Hope, Stepmom, Donnie Darko, Cheaters, Life as a House, The Dangerous Lives of Altar Boys, and more recently, 2004's Saved. She is considered by some to be the most underrated actress of her generation.

In 2002, Malone starred and co-produced a film entitled American Girl (DVD title is called Confessions of an American Girl) about a young, pregnant high school dropout who accompanies her rural-living family to visit her incarcerated father during an annual prison picnic. Directed by Jordan Brady with a screenplay from Scott Sandoe, the film explores one girl's desire to find her place only to have intense suicidal thoughts while trying to remember the goodness her father had. Also starring Brad Renfro, Chris Mulkey, Clifton Collins Jr., Michelle Forbes, Alicia Witt, Erik von Detten, and Kevin Gage. American Girl, despite its premise and Malone's performance, falls flat as another mediocre independent feature.

For a high school dropout in Rena Grubb (Jena Malone), she always tries to find some way to live out of her dreary, white-trash lifestyle in a trailer park home with her mother Madge (Michelle Forbes) and her lazy half-sister Barbie (Alicia Witt). Rena has been secretly having an affair with the most popular boy in school in Kenton (Erik von Detten) while her older brother Jay (Brad Renfro) has been spending time with their uncle. Rena, often feeling suicidal about her rural lifestyle, is wishing for a normal, happy family life and one with her father John (Chris Mulkey) who is in prison serving two life terms for murder. Amidst the turmoil of her family life, Rena is still hoping for her family to go to the annual family picnic to meet her father as she receives letters from him.

Madge isn’t sure about going since she has a lot of tension with John but wants to do it for Rena. Rena however, learns that she is pregnant with Kenton's child and eventually, her family finds out. Rena, distraught at her mother's reaction tries to kill herself by swallowing children's pills but survives. The Grubbs still decide to go to the family picnic while hoping not to reveal any family secrets. John Grubb is anxious to see his family as he talks to his prison pal Buddy (Clifton Collins Jr.). Buddy is one of the few prisoner trustees who is set to get out soon as he often bribes to guards.

The family arrives where at first, everything is good but John suspects that Jay isn't acting very manly as family contests tend to fall apart. Then Barbie slips the news that Rena is pregnant. Rena would think that John would be happy but he is upset as Buddy gives Barbie and Jay a tour of the prison. Barbie wanders off as Buddy befriends Jay. John talks to Madge as she reveals the family is going through hard times but hope to make the best of it as he's hoping for some sex. Rena, hides herself in a bathroom only talking to another visitor in Hildegarde (O-Lan Jones) who is visiting a friend in prison. Despite all the troubles, Rena still hopes for an ideal family lifestyle and love from her father.

John and Madge split as she finds herself in conversation with one of the guards named Richard (Kevin Gage) as John has an affair. Madge learns from Richard about the affair while Jay and Buddy learn who it is as Buddy humiliates that person. Rena, desperate for her father's love learns that he is too absorbed in his own world as Madge learns of the affair as the attack leaves things into tragedy with Rena becoming more fragile than ever.

While Jordan Brady does manage to capture sympathy and great dramatic moments, the film often falls into the realm of dreary, melodrama with no direction right at the end. The film's script, which claims is based on true events, is filled with some of the dramatic cliches of TV prison dramas and the limited budget of an independent feature, depending on its premise. Plus, often comes out with some clumsy dialogue except for some of the narration for Malone. While the film does look good in its technical side, it doesn't help its meandering direction to the point that there's only a few memorable characters to enjoy or to sympathize with. Plus, due to its small budget, it’s no wonder the film has a terrible soundtrack filled with nothing but mediocre, middle-of-the-road modern rock music.

While the film has a nice cast with small performances from Kevin Gage, O-Lan Jones, and Micole Mercucio as a neighbor, the film also has a typical, lame performance from pretty-boy actor Erik von Detten who is merely the poor boy's Devon Sawa. Chris Mulkey doesn't bring anything to his role as Rena's father since he is often too over-the-top in his performance while the script just forces him to play a very awful man with nothing to offer. Alicia Witt is often good in whatever film she does but is merely nothing more than a typical, lazy slut who gives Witt nothing to do except humiliate herself. Brad Renfro is good in his role as the sexually-confused older brother as is Michelle Forbes as Malone's stern, hopeful mother. The best supporting performance easily goes to Clifton Collins Jr., who brings in a great charm and sleaze to his performance as a prisoner who knows how to stir things up while flirting with Brad Renfro.

The film's true heart and soul is Jena Malone. While it's not a far cry from the self-destructive, dysfunctional roles she's been playing in films like Donnie Darko or Saved!. Malone does use her ability to give her character every amount of sympathy, no matter how flawed her character is, she needed. Bringing a combination of naivete, desperation, and optimism, Malone shows her ability as a very serious, complex actress. While she may not have Evan Rachel Wood's energy, Natalie Portman's cuteness, or Scarlett Johansson's alluring presence, Malone brings a lot of grit and angst into her performance.

It's pretty clear that now it just came out on DVD, like many of Jordan Brady's recent films like Waking Up in Reno with Billy Bob Thornton and Charlize Theron, this one struggled to get distribution. Yet, American Girl doesn't really add much to offer except for fans of Jena Malone. Malone, thankfully, has moved on from this film with her recent acclaimed performance in Saved!. While she doesn't have the attention like her counterparts, she is still slated to appear in a new adaptation of Pride & Prejudice with Keira Knightley and Four Last Songs for Francesca Joseph in which she'll co-star with Stanley Tucci. In the end, American Girl isn't a great film but not a bad one either though it offers something for fans of Jena Malone.

Jena Malone Reviews:

Bastard Out of Carolina (1996):

http://www.epinions.com/content_116272369284

Cheaters (2000):

http://www.epinions.com/content_114283089540

Life as a House (2001):

http://www.epinions.com/content_115870568068

Donnie Darko (2001):

http://www.epinions.com/content_102579146372

The Badge (2002):

http://www.epinions.com/content_118085619332

The Dangerous Lives of Altar Boys (2002):

http://www.epinions.com/content_209253142148

Cold Mountain (2003):

http://www.epinions.com/content_123784367748

The United States of Leland (2003):

(Coming Soon)

Saved! (2004):

http://www.epinions.com/content_145428418180

Pride & Prejudice (2005):

(Coming in Fall 2005)



Recommended:
No

Viewing Format: DVD
Video Occasion: Good for Groups
Suitability For Children: Not suitable for Children of any age