"Share" (2019 release; 89 min.) brings the story of Mandy, a junior at the (fictitious) Alexander Gardner High School. As the movie opens, Mandy is unconscious and laying on a lawn at night. As she awakens she has no idea what happened that night or how she got to the lawn. She does notice a large bruise on her left arm. At basketball practice the next day, something is clearly off with Mandy, but what? Then later that day, Mandy gets multiple texts containing a blurry video with what appears to be her being sexually assaulted. She still has no recollection of what happened... At this point we are 10 min. into the movie, but to tell you more of the plot would spoil your viewing experience, you'll just have to see for yourself how it all plays out.

Couple of comments: this is the feature length debut of writer-director Pippa Bianco (working from her short film of the same name). She tackles an all-too-common problem among teenagers: a young woman taken advantage off after she has had too much to drink, with a video subsequently uploaded and shared. Mandy immediately faces tremendous peer and family pressure about whether or not to press charges, or to just forget about the whole thing and "move on". Sadly, no matter what she decides, there are no good options for Mandy, and as the film amply demonstrates, the consequences for Mandy are heartbreaking, no matter what. This is just the latest release that looks at peer pressure, and in particular social anxiety, among teenagers in today's environment (check out as well the recent documentary "I Love You, Now Die", among others). At one point Mandy asks a friend "why didn't you help me?", and the friend responds "you said you were fine", which Mandy doesn't recall saying... Newcomer Rhianne Barreto is outstanding as the vulnerable Mandy, and surely we have not seen the last of her. Also kudos to the outstanding score for this film, courtesy of electronic musician Shlohmo (the stage moniker of Henry Laufer).

"Share" premiered at this year's Sundance film festival to immediate critical acclaim. It is now showing on HBO (where I saw it). If you are in the mood for a tense high school social anxiety and abuse drama, I'd readily suggest you check this out, be it on VOD or eventually on DVD/Blu-ray, and draw your own conclusion.

There was a very attractive moodyness about the direction. But it killed itself at the same time as it moved at a glacial pace with a lot of redundant and dead scenes. Felt signifciantly longer than the running time.

A good feel of these teenagers, due to their age, being dangerous to themselves because of their incomplete thinking. Not to mention mixing alcohol with all that.

A very glaring procedural omission as the investigation did not include a physical exam of the victim or any reasoning why it wasn't done. And not exploring her history with sex or alcohol until the very end.

Although acted very well, the lead vacillated from a genuine 16 year-old to a mid-20s character, basically due to the uneven writing. The actress is likely mid-20s but played a genuine 16 year-old. Also then the reasoning of a mid-20s character. Different voices in the writing.

Essentially it was a waiting game to find out that it was the person I thought was guilty in the beginning. Very anti-climatic and dull. Was surprised that, having a female director and writing, they decided to throw in at the last minute that the victim admitted she liked drinking and being promiscuous.

Now to me it's a given those revelations do not condone taking advantage of any woman or girl. But there was no argument in it. Just facts that had no meaning or consequence. I don't know what that was suppose to tell me.