Stars: Alison Folland, Tara Subkoff, Cole Hauser, Shawn Hatosy, Wilson Cruz, Pat Briggs, Leisha Hailey, Mary Timony

Director: Alex Sichel

Summary: A journey of discovery for a fifteen year old girl called Claude and her quick-witted friend Ellen.

ALL OVER ME is an intense, naturalistic portrait of a changing friendship between two teenage girls, set in New York's gritty Hell's Kitchen. The symbiotic, loving relationship between riot-grrrl teens Ellen (Tara Subkoff) and Claude (Alison Folland) degrades after Ellen begins dating a rough-hewn, mean-spirited older boy, and Claude tries on a lesbian identity with the help of a new gay male friend. The film is suffused with alternative music-scene bit parts and cameos, including Leisha Hailey (of the Murmurs) and Mary Timony (of Helium).

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Coming-of-age themes are an obvious choice for movie-makers but All Over Meis far from being run of the mill. It follows the friendship and codependence of two 15-year-old New York girls, one (Claude) gradually coming to terms with the fact that she's gay, the other (Ellen), getting sucked into a world of boys, violence and drugs. It brilliantly and sympathetically realised by film-maker sisters Alex and Sylvia Sichel, with superb performances by the two leads, Alison Folland and Tara Subkoff.

When the violent, homophobic murder of the girls' new-found friend, Jesse (Wilson Cruz) threatens to rip them apart, Ellen embarks on a trail of self-destruction while Claude finally seems able to come to terms with her own destiny, ultimately getting together with the pretty, magenta-haired punk musician, Lucy (a superbly empathetic performance from Leisha Hailey). It's a film that's saved from introspective self-indulgence by the brutal interruption of the outside world, and it's not just a thought-provoking hour-and-a-half, it's a compelling narrative experience. The only weakness is the two-dimensional characterization of Ellen's psychotic boyfriend, well enough played by Cole Hauser, but intrinsically limited in scope. Ann Dowd is superb as Claude's man-chasing mother and the film is topped off by a funky soundtrack.

On the DVD:All over Medoesn't just offer the "usual theatrical trailer" for the film in question but instead offers trailers for two related films, Better than Chocolateand Trick, both of which deal truthfully with gay issues offering a light and often humorous touch. However, that's it as far as additional goodies are concerned, which is a shame, but the vibrant soundtrack is presented in a great Dolby Digital sound. --Harriet Smith

Aspect Ratio:	4:3
Main Language:	English
Region:	Region 0
Special Features:	Chapter Index, Other Millivres Multimedia Releases
Year:	1997
Release Date:	April 8, 2002
Runtime:	95 minutes
Certification:
Catalogue Number:	M M D 008
Keywords:	General, Over, All, Me, Drama
Genre:	Drama