Speak

Plot synopsis:
14-year-old Melinda Sordino (Kristen Stewart) starts out her freshman year in high school and struggles on the first day. She doesn't have any friends to hang out with and appears awkward and uncomfortable when speaking to others. Throughout the day, she is made fun of by several students, repeatedly called a "squealer". A series of flashbacks reveal that she called the police at a house party during the previous summer. Her real reason for calling 9-1-1 was that she was raped at the party by a senior student, Andy Evans (Eric Lively), but while on the phone, she was unable to talk to the police about what happened, and when the police arrived, she did not report the rape and went home instead. The party was crashed, causing mayhem and everyone to flee from the police.
When her parents see her report card, they prompt her to see Mr. Neck (Robert John Burke), who tells her to write an essay on any history topic. After refusing to read her paper aloud to her class, she gets sent to the office of the school principal. Melinda is nice to a new student named Heather Billings (Allison Siko), who claims to be Melinda's "friend", but Heather soon abandons Melinda when the chance for social advancement arises. The only other student with whom Melinda has a positive experience is her lab partner, Dave Petrakis (Michael Angarano), who has successfully managed to avoid affiliating himself with a clique.
As the year progresses, Melinda begins a painfully slow recapture of her confidence, with some help from Dave and her art teacher, Mr. Freeman (Steve Zahn). Her former best friend, Rachel Bruin (Hallee Hirsh), starts dating Andy, and as the only other person who knows about the event, Melinda fears that Rachel will suffer the same fate. Melinda finds Rachel at the library and tells her the truth about what happened at the party by writing it on paper. At first, Rachel refuses to believe her, thinking that Melinda is lying out of jealousy, and calls her "sick", but comes to realize the truth by confronting Andy. After Rachel begins to tell other people what happened, Andy threatens and begins to attack Melinda. He corners her in the art room and tries to force her to tell everybody at school that the incident is false, and she struggles to get free, eventually overpowering him. They are found by one of her old friends and a group of girls who help Melinda and trap Andy. Mr. Neck sees Melinda walking away from the scene and asks what was going on, but Melinda doesn't respond.
On the way back from the hospital after being treated for her injuries, Melinda rolls down the window of the car, breathing in deeply. She finally finds the strength to tell her mother the truth about what happened at the party. Although it is clear that Melinda will still need time to fully recover from her ordeals, this is a significant and empowering event in her life, as she finally finds the courage to speak.

Tags: flashback

Review:
Anyone who has been to high school should get a big kick from some of the send-ups in "Speak."  And for anyone who has doubted the talents of Steve Zahn, just look for the scene where he sees what Melinda (Stewart) has done in the supply closet.I hope to see this movie in theaters soon, and I give it my highest recommendation.
This finally aired on Lifetime yesterday, and since I was such a big fan of Laurie Halse Anderson's novel, I might as well wanted to see the movie to compare them.The first few minutes of the movie turned out to be exactly pages from the book, as well as some emotional moments that almost reduced me to tears, showed exactly the way she was feeling, and how she was connected from the moment to the school year in such depressive, mute fashion that she manages to handle so well.
She would, only that her mom (Elizabeth Perkins) and dad (D.B. Sweeney) are almost never home so that way they can talk to her about anything.As the movie goes on, Melinda (Kirsten Stewart) begins to lighten up around the surroundings.
The teenager Melinda Sordino (Kristen Stewart) joins the high-school with a great feeling of rejection and becomes practically mute.
She finds a great support with her arts teacher Mr. Freeman (Steve Zahn) and her school friend David Petrakis (Michael Angarano), and recalls her traumatic experience in the summer school, when she was raped, learning how to deal with the situation and reborn mature."Speak" is a very simple and linear story, and even in the trailer the predictable trauma of Melinda is disclosed; therefore there are no surprises, plot point or mystery to have a twist in the story.
What makes "Speak" a little gem and so special are the realistic story, the excellent direction and the stunning performances, mainly of Kristen Stewart in the role of the traumatized Melinda, learning how to deal with her rape and later rejection by the mates by herself.
On the other hand, Kristen Stewart's performance in the lead role of Melinda was excellent, although the rest of the acting left me flat.
(Even Steve Zahn, who I normally love, seemed a bit miscast.)  And while the writing didn't grab me, there were enough light-hearted moments to make Melinda's personal anguish bearable for the audience.Beyond cinema as therapy, the film contained meaningful insights into the potential of artistic expression in healing, the general alienation of being a freshman in high school, or the critical relationship of an individual's will and determination with the healing process.
The movie slowly unfolds and tells us the story of Melinda (Stewart) and a traumatic event during her summer causes her to lose all her confidence and become alienated from society.Her fellow classmates and her "ex best friends" bully her and parents don't understand her problem because she cannot talk or even imagine the event that caused her confidence to falter.
The direction of the film is steady and knows where it wants to head and finish and shows the harsh reality of highschool where cliques form and bullying thrives but i felt that Angarano and Zahn deserved more screen time because they were great.Positives: Great acting, good story and really pulls you into the film Negatives: Should've had more from the secondary characters Overall: Should definitely watch this film!!.
Speak is the movie that gave the illusion Kristen Stewart was a good actress.
It is a poignant and look at a traumatized girl with elective mutism.Melinda Sordino (Kristen Stewart) is a normal, happy fourteen-year-old about to start high school.
Through her year long assignment of drawing trees, Melinda tries to heal from what happened and speak again, while slowly revealing to the audience what changed her life.The story is solid, and it was a very good adaption of the novel.
It might be the effect of watching a lot of bad films in a row but the truth remains: sometimes there just comes a great movie.
Where "The virgin suicides" was seen through the eyes of boys and "Thirteen" was a whole new (extreme at times) experience for a high school girl, "Speak" takes a step back.
It's a humbler movie; neither entirely poetic nor filled with the emotions its main character is desperate to express.Melinda (Kristen Stewart) has done something terrible and is starting the new school year without friends.
Art plays a big part in "Speak", but it's not due to the art teacher's words It's simply because of the direct relationship Melinda experiences with art and how it widely affects her; a relationship mainly generated by the art teacher.Kristen Stewart is amazing.
I literally only seen it last night and i was completely blown away, it is so grown up and i am so surprised it didn't win an Oscar or anything, i should have because Kristen Stewart and well everybody was amazing in it.I can really relate to Melaney's character minus the rape in the story line, i mean like i fell out with my best friends when i was 14 and i got really depressed and didn't talk to anybody and this movie completely reminds me of that in a good way i mean, its hard to explain but the movie is very touching and inspiring to all girls i think and i am giving the cast a round of appaulase because they were great.Sorry for all the miss-spelling I'm not the best ha xx Thanks for reading this and please go and watch the film it is really great..
I read the synopsis and it seemed like something I might enjoy, story-wise and cast-wise (big fan of Steve Zahn as well and was fairly impressed with Stewart's role in Panic Room).
I decided to give it a shot and was glad I did, as it has given me quite a memorable movie experience.Melinda Sordino (Stewart) is a high school freshman, who was once a bright, happy student.
She tries to regain the confidence to open back up and ultimately break free of the shell she has created for herself.This movie is definitely not a feel-good flick, but the screenplay (adapted from the same-titled book) affords some light moments (usually from Melinda's observations through her inner monologue and rare interactions in the classroom).
I loved the characters because I felt I could relate every one of them to a person I know in real life.The plot of the movie revolves around a young girl, Melinda, struggling to find her place in high school.After being raped during the summer and not telling anyone, she enters high school.
And this movie is one of her right choices.I think everyone can relate to the story of withdrawal and rejection, relationship with family and friends, and how expressing yourself can set you free.I almost cry at the end but no tears so I gave a 9..
Speak tells the story of Melinda Sordino, a freshman in high-school with a feeling of rejection.
On top of that she's constantly teased by the other students and her relationship with her parents lacks communication.To make the situation even worst she butts heads with the social studies professor.She does find some support in her arts teacher Mr. Freeman but her life, her existence, seems to be quite painful.As the movie progresses, the pieces of the puzzle start to come together as we learn trough flashbacks what happen to Melinda in summer school and the trauma she went trough.Speak is a fantastic film,beautiful, even though the story is sad and tragic.The film is extremely well directed,beautifully shot and the soundtrack is superb contributing to the melancholic tone of the movie.
Everything just comes together so nicely.I'm sure some will think the movie is slow paced but for me the story flows just perfectly.I was completely caught off guard by Kristin Stewart's portrayal of Melinda, and the film owes a lot to her subtle yet extremely powerful performance.Her performance really sets this film apart from other dramas.
This image reflects the entire subject matter of the film - silence, repressed feelings and the inability to express emotions following a tragedy.One thing that is unique about Speak is that while most films about high school rape are about seniors, this is about freshmen, with the assault taking place in grade 8.
Not Bad. SPEAK is an interesting character drama starring Kristen Stewart as a young girl with selective mutism.
We all know of the bashing Kristen Stewart gets from people for her stoic acting (and to be honest I myself have commented on it), but it works great for her character.
I really loved the scenes with the art teacher, especially the last one.The range of emotion Kristen showed in this movie were so varied, and very believable.
love love the movie, storyline is realistic and moving and scarily real,hoping this movie not only highlights the real issues addressed but maybe helps those who feel they cant speak.the reason i watched the movie is of course KRISTIN STEWART ,who portrays the character believably and emotionally, there is just something intriguing about her.But did anyone notice the voice over is not Kristen's voice, maybe it's just me but i think hearing her voice in a lot of movies, especially TWILIGHT, just didn't believe the voice over was her.who cares great movie!.
the characters are so real...Hats off to Kristen Stewart and the Director...One of the best teen movies i ever saw....
However, if you think you could be inspired by the unnervingly real story of a drowning teenage girl trying to find her way to the surface again, Speak is the movie for you.
It is amazing that someone could have been able to write a story that so throughly showed teenage social groups and their relationships that I could connect with them as if they were real.But the best part of this movie to me is Kristen Stewart's portrayal of Melinda.
Essentially everyone in the film is a stereotype--the art teacher, the English teacher, the History Teacher, Melinda's friends, Melinda's parents, the principal, and the counselor.Kristen Stewart was the best thing about this movie.
The movie is about a teen who was assaulted in a party and kept the fact with her, leading her into a state of loneliness and lack of confidence to share her views with anyone.The subject was very hard to be dealt with but credit should be given to the director Jessica sharzer and of course to Kristen Stewart for a performance that will be remembered throughout her career.Kristen did a fantabulous portrayal of a traumatized teen with an ease.Its very difficult to let the other person know your feelings when you have few words to say but Kristen's expressions and body language did it all effortlessly.
Melinda Sordino is perfectly portrayed by Kristen Stewart.This is a film about a young girl who enters high school after 8th grade ended poorly.
This movie has been in my list of movies i wanted to watch and i finally got the chance and i must say i am extremely happy.This movie tells a strong story and i think it was told in a very good way for it keeps your emotions flowing while following Kristen Stewert' character and even though she barley says anything it keeps you effected the whole movie by what happened to her.As a Showtime independent film it isn't very known which in my opinion is a shame.Jessica Sharzer while not a very experienced director did a marvelous job telling such a delicate story.Kristen Stewert(Panic Room, Twilight) truly showed how good she is and i must say at such a young age predicts a bright future, She alongside Abigail Breslin(Little Miss Sunshine, My Sister's Keeper) and Dakota Fanning(Man On Fire, War of the Worlds) are heading in a good direction and show great talent since the beginning.
It's a sad film but not as depressing as I had thought: Sometimes the Melinda's narration and the music lifts you.This movie has a message about the rape, its effects on a girl and why is so important to talk, but there is another message also: There are so much people immersed in their own worlds who just ignore others or never have a friendly word and only say "He/She is a freak" while actually that "freak" is the person who needs help so badly.
Adaptations are all about economy and efficiency as they try to tell the same essential story visually and often symbolically.In the case of "Speak", I think the movie is more powerful than the book as you feel Melinda's trauma more, even if you don't understand it as precisely.
Speak tells the story of a girl starting her first year in high school.
With having (in 2002) just recovered from a pretty bad cold,I had a strong feeling that one of the things which I wanted to do first was to hang out with my friend again.With (at last) feeling well enough to go out,one of my friends suggested that we could go and watch a film.When we got to the box office,we found out that the cinema had just one more showing for the night,of a film called Panic Room.Due to that being the only option available,me and my friend decided to go for the film.Whilst watching the film (which now,seems to have sadly been mostly forgotten) I was very intrigued by the actress who played the daughter to Jodie Fosters lead character.Ocasionaly,every so often,I would check my local DVD rental store,to see if the girl (whose name I later found out is Kristen Stewart) had appeared in any other movies...Suddenly at some point in 2007 I began to hear that Stewart was going to make a bit of a come back that year by,co-starring in the Sean Penn film Into the Wild,and also having the lead role in an adaptation of a book which I had been hearing called Twilight.After Twilightmania had turned her into one of the main stars of a mega-hit franchise,I was interested in seeing how she would perform as Joan Jett in the Rock N Roll film The Runaways.From about the first five minutes of the very entertaining film ,I was very impressed with how good Stewarts performance was,and how well she captured the look of Jett.Around two or three weeks ago,I was chatting to a friend about how much I had enjoyed Runaways,and I was given a surprising reply,that if I enjoyed her work in that,then I really needed to see an indie film she had made,which has never come out in the UK.The Plot:With her parents and teachers hoping that Melinda Sordino can continue to keep getting the grades which she has been achieving,Melinda knows that everyone is expecting her to achieve "big things" in her Freshman year.
The movie is about a girl who was raped at a summer party and enters high school, while living with this she tells no one and realizes as the film goes on that it happened and she has to face it.
This movie was so moving,I was in tears.In the end, I wished I was her in the closet beating the crap out of that boy.It really makes you look at yourself and say "Why did I let that pass?".I read the book a year or two ago and it made me think the character was a strange little goth girl who just got raped at an innocent house party gone wrong.But Melinda's character proved different.I loved her in Panic Room, and I adored her in this movie.Such an amazing story that really points out to us that no matter who you are,this could happen to you.This movie really inspired me and probably everyone who has seen it to be you and to not let just anything pass by without standing up for what you believe in.Overall an amazing movie..
It is for this that many schoolmates are "former friends".Kristen Stewart was 13 or 14 during filming and perfect for the part of Melinda Sordino.
I honestly have always thought that Foster's performance in that movie was heavily overrated and it is a hard film to watch, but for all the wrong reasons with it's by-the-numbers storyline of the victim fighting back, predictable courtroom scenes, and that overdone climactic flashback of the rape itself.SPEAK goes for the less-is-more approach and instead of Stewart's character Melinda Sordino going the histrionic route, she instead hides the fact that she was sexually assaulted and goes into a shell for the better part of a year, only speaking when spoken to (and sometimes not even then!).
I really love this movie and have watched it numerous times.The actress Kristen Stewart shines in it.The main character is a young teenage girl named Melinda Sordino.
I really love this movie and have watched it numerous times.The actress Kristen Stewart shines in it.The main character is a young teenage girl named Melinda Sordino.
I loved the book, and I love the movie just as much, if not more.Very powerful story, with just as powerful an actress playing lead.I think one of my most favorite scenes in this movie has to be the part where Melinda shows Mr. Freeman her closet in the school.The look on his face is so real, so understanding.Of everything I've seen Kristen Stewert in, this is my favorite movie of hers!If you haven't seen this yet, I recommend it :) Have a few Kleenex handy though, as it's really emotional..
An outstanding film featuring a remarkable performance by Kristen Stewart as a sullen, very depressed young lady in a high school.
I particularly liked the way the movie was done with flashbacks so the story of Melinda's rape unfolds and you don't know why she's so depressed at first.
On her way home from school she has the talk with her mother, and you see her finally accepting herself.This movie was absolutely amazing, and Kristen Stewart did an excellent job.