Dearest Jane (2015) User Reviews

Imperfectly delightful and moving in its quirky sincerity

[writeunravel · 7/10 · 4 July 2020]

Clearly a low budget film with some 2nd rate acting - yet somehow it's sincerity and depth shines through all these cracks. The story was intriguing and the relationship between the girl and her uncle very moving. My husband and I were held by this movie from start to finish. Lovely soundtrack. The 2 main actors were excellent and convincing in their roles. Thought provoking and touching.

A disturbed teenager, rejected by her divorcing parents, finds a new home with her uncle and a clean-cut boyfriend.

[blackjackoak · 5/10 · 7 October 2017]

This painfully slow-paced movie is exceptional in its combination of dreadful, flat acting; loosely-constructed, predictable plot; boring cinematography and pedestrian, clichéd dialogue. I was seriously misled by its 7.6 score and promising plot summary. The 'moving car' interiors are comic in their failure to simulate real driving, with listless, two-finger steering-wheel wiggling and rock-steady camera. Only Sydney Pierick, playing Jane McDonald has any spark at all.

A delightful film about life

[grandboisea · 8/10 · 10 January 2019]

We never know what lies ahead and that is the wonder of it all....of life. This movie is so simple in it's performance and yet the people are complex and the messages are meaningful. Both Jane and her Uncle are perfect in their roles. For some it may be rather slow but I found it was worth the time.

A genuine gem of a film.

[KiraDK · 10/10 · 7 November 2015]

I have been a IMDb member for more than 12 years, this is probably the place on the internet where i have spent the most time overall...My profile has never been complete, until now, this is my first review ever, I just felt like I have to say something about this wonderful movie. It had me from the beginning, its a very calm and down to earth movie, it doesn't move fast, but there are not any dull moments at all, it just seems like anything is exactly perfect for this film, it seems pure and genuine...The main character Jane is so wonderfully played by Sidney Pierick, wow, her performance is amazing, no overacting at any point, she seems so effortless genuine and likable as any actress can be...Same goes for her Uncle, played by Benjamin Meadows, the two of them are such sympathetic characters, I just couldn't help caring for them. This movie is a drama and it does have its share of "words of wisdom", but somehow it manage to never seem like "cheap clichés" like it tends to in most movies, I have no idea why that is, it just fit so perfectly in. After watching I did a bit of reading, shocked to learn that the man who both directed and wrote it, was only 20 at the time, that blew me away how such a young guy are already able of doing this gem of a movie, cant wait to watch more of his work, its so very impressive. Well, Im happy that I got to see it, a great experience.

Filmmaking at it's most genuine and powerful.

[Padmafrench · 10/10 · 6 January 2019]

I'm with KiraDK - totally loved this film. Beautifully written and directed, I had no idea what I was getting myself into when I chanced upon this gorgeous film late last night on Netflix. Sure, maybe there are minor flaws, but any imperfection fades away in the face of the quiet gutsiness, the gentleness, the rawness, the dreaminess, the awful sadness, the precious happiness...ok, you can see it hit a major artery for me. I want to write to the actors to check they're ok. Bad idea - but it's just so refreshing to see a film where you really care about the characters. It has it's 'words of wisdom' moments - great, insightful words - not didactic or 'greeting cardish', but genuinely wise, moving and deftly worked into the moment. John Lerchen, the young writer and director, must be one hell of a human being and I cannot wait to see more of his work. It may not seem so at the beginning, but this is a big film. It delves deep...and on a hot summer night, in a quiet, Australian seaside suburb, it snuck up on me and touched my heart with a big, fat kapow! For me, that's what great filmmaking is all about.