I sawJohn Hughes mentioned in Metacritic. I'm still trying to recover from that blaspheme. This was a DNF. I think actually, I may have failed to check the reviews before I watched. This was available as a selection on a free 2 week premium channel. Thank goodness for small mercies.

I only watched because I thought it would be a more upbeat movie about making mdma and going to college. I had no problem with the story but the dialogue and actual acting were pretty bad plus the sex scenes didn't add anything. A curse word was used literally every other word and there were a few loose ends. How could she have gotten into the school without considering how she would pay for it? How was she using the schools labs without anyone noticing? Why would she go into business with someone she'd seen TWICE in a nightclub? She could have made sooo much more $ if she just made and sold the drugs herself. Basically an R rated lifetime movie

I ran across this film by accident, and I'm glad I did. If you were expecting a girls gone wild type of party film, just be warned that there is no predictability about the direction any of that will take - which makes the journey and arc of each character rewarding.

The range of issues that this film touches upon honestly and sincerely surprised me on so many levels - from emotional abandonment, abuse, assault, underage drug use, to economic disparity and social access.

While some of the film felt rushed, other sections allowed for some of the most powerfully moving scenes I have witnessed in recent film. By and large an outstanding cast and well-constructed story flow.

Important to note that the movie doesn't rush into revealing the layers of the lead character too quickly. While the flashbacks began to paint a more complete picture of her life, it never treated it as something to be summed up with a neat bow or overly-sentimental finish line.

The best part of this film for me was that the lead character was a young Chinese woman. I can not think of one other film of the top of my head where I have ever seen this, and it worked so brilliantly, I want more: more of this actress, director and more types of coming of age films with women of all ethnic backgrounds.

Spoiler sort of (if you dont read the tagline carefully, like me): I was shocked to find out that this was based on real events.