In Two Friends, some of the seeds of her future growth are sewn, although subtly. While the film is occasionally as awkward as the teenagers depicted in it, Campion demonstrates that she has a gift separating her from peers who merely make movies. It's not just a matter of trying to make things beautiful.
Campion uses images to communicate crucial information.
It is not a pretty picture. Another Campion gift is the accumulation of minute details about daily lives. The people in her films, including this one, are always real, always recognizable, even when we don't much like them. Emma Coles, left, and Kris Bidenko in Two Friends.