Stella Does Tricks (1997)

Best movie of this year hands down!

Purely Joyful Movie!

At first rather annoying in its heavy emphasis on reenactments, this movie ultimately proves fascinating, simply because the complicated, highly dramatic tale it tells still almost defies belief.

It really made me laugh, but for some moments I was tearing up because I could relate so much.

Another of these indie treats, steered by the young Macdonald, still in her young acting day, who pulls off a dramatic and wonderfully brave performance as a teen prostitute, who with a stable of other equally aged girls, suffers violent blows, ridicule and rejection, not only from clients. And Stella certainly does pull tricks, alright, one involving blowing up a car, in a retaliation, and another, involving sticking a Fisherman's friend, in the orifice of a middle aged client, who's up for almost anything, just not that. Her middle aged pimp, Mr Peters (New Trick's James Bolam) keeps her line, off the drugs whatever, where if not satisfying a client, apology is given in sexual favors to Mr Bolam. He also likes to takes his girls out for ice cream, where in privatude under the rotunda, they have a little bit of an intimate session, which is enough to turn off soft serves, but Stella certainly serves it back. When Stella takes off with her new found boyfriend, Mr Bolam, not happy, gives her a not so sending off present. This is quite a good drama, but Macdonald is what makes it so rewarding, here was another star in the making, who I could definitely see on the rise. We see flashbacks of Stella as a little girl, who's loser of a cowardly father, and unfunny comedian, obviously walked out on. Wait till you see Stella's trick of vengeance here. These Indie treats are great and although SDT, is not the best thing on offer, it does make for an absorbing view with it's comedy and drama, and a couple of disturbing shock moments like that gang bang scene, where Macdonald gives this drama it's spark.

I thought this was one of those films you simply have to see with someone else - to go over it afterwards.Although rambling in places, I found the lead characters were mesmerising, in that you simply had to watch to find out what happened. James Bolam, in particular, was disturbingly nasty as the pimp, showing an incredible characterisation. As I have only seen him in light comedy before, I wondered whether he was suitable for such a gritty drama - and he proved eminently so!Overall, a disturbing film due to the subject matter, but a very well acted and presented drama which leaves an enduring impression in the mind after the film ends - one of the marks of a good film, to me.

I saw this film on cable last night. I really wanted to like it because I like Hans Matheson and Kelly Macdonald, but when it was over, I felt disappointed. I think my biggest pet peeve is that the filmmakers spent too much time trying to drive home the point that Stella was molested as a child (after the third flashback, even the dumbest audience member understands) and too little time developing the characters. I would have liked to know more about why Eddie is the way he is, and why Stella latches on to him as opposed to, say, one of her older Johns who isn't a drug addict. Perhaps it was intentional that the only person we get to know is Stella, because that way we can see just how messed up and confusing her life is. I'm just not sure.

This film is truly remarkable both in storyline and acting. Kelly MacDonald excels as under age prostitute Stella whilst James Bolam is creepily superb as her pimp. The story centres around Stella in London and her two roles as prostitute and outgoing young woman. There are also flashbacks of her childhood in Glasgow before she moved to London to become a prostitute. Sex scenes are not graphic but perhaps seem more disturbing due to this. This film is a truly thought provoking delight covering many sub plots including drugs. Well worth a look