Theatrical Thursday

Title: Odd Girl Out
Claim to Fame: Alexa Vega
Grade: B
Rating: PG-13

Summary: (amazon.com)
"Girls are brutal," a father warns his young son in the course of Odd Girl Out. "They… tear each other to bits over the smallest things." Director Tom McLoughlin's 2005 film proves it, too, offering up a harrowing tale of one teenager's horrendous treatment at the hands of her high school classmates. When we meet Vanessa (Alexa Vega, also seen in Spy Kids), she's a reluctant member of a group of spoiled, snooty girls who rule the school hallways like designer-dressed harpies. But when she betrays "best friend" and clique leader Stacey (Malcolm in the Middle's Leah Pipes), it all starts to go south; little matter that said betrayal is actually concocted by the genuinely vicious Nikki (Elizabeth Rice). What begins as a relatively petty campaign of text messages, rumor-mongering, and daily ostracism soon escalates into full-scale torment and cruelty, including a particularly nasty website, an invitation to a party that doesn't exist (the better to humiliate the eager and insecure Vanessa), and her near-tragic reaction to these events. McLoughlin's resume includes TV shows based on A Nightmare on Elm Street and Friday the 13th, so it's no surprise that this film has a stylized, horror film vibe; there is nothing remotely light-hearted about this story (loosely based on Rachel Simmons' non-fiction book Odd Girl Out: The Hidden Culture Of Aggression In Girls), which focuses not only on Vanessa's nightmare but on the well-meaning but futile efforts of her mother (Lisa Vidal) to help.

Title: 4/5
The title was fairly good but there was opportunity for improvement. I didn’t see Alexa’s character as the “odd” girl she was supposed to portray.

Cover: 5/5
The Cover drew me into the movie in so many ways. The Positions and facial features of the girls were very intriguing. The background was also gorgeous.

Acting: 4/5
The acting was not great but it was good. There was room to improve when it came to certain characters.

Plot: 3/5
The plot was overly common and could have used a few twists to it.