Hudson, an outcast in school, gets constantly rejected by his companions due to a simple issue - he does not have a phone. He tries to get attention from a variety of his companions, but nobody pays any attention to him. He then tries to get attention of a girl, Aurora (Breanna Cossette), which starts a tale of cat fishing - truth about friends in high school and betrayal.
I like how the film portrays a typical teenager trying to fit in, which is an endless struggle, and Hudson portrays that perfectly. The outcast idea is enhanced when Hudson uses letters to communicate with his peers. The typical high schoolers gossiping about the outcast makes the story more realistic. Furthermore, the idea of self-discovery when Simon (Anthony Carro), another kid at school, realizes that the chain of events that caused Aurora to catfish Hudson displays maturity in high schoolers.
The camera work is impressive. The shots where Aurora is removing her makeup while singing are terrific. The high angle shows the amount of tissues needed to remove her makeup and displays her vulnerability. The final scene where their true selves are revealed instead of the cat-fished version shows them acting naturally for once. The low angle shot when Simon tries to tell Paxton about the entire chain of events that led to the cat-fishing of Aurora looks heroic; Simon becomes a hero for telling the truth instead of all the lies that surrounds it. The set is in a U.S. high school and in various homes. The high school looks very typical for a public school, which makes it easy for kids to relate to. Also the bedroom sets of the characters are pretty typical teen rooms, whether personalized or basic. I also like Paxton's living room set which is very modern and clean. The music is mostly upbeat or very slow and reflects the mood of the scenes. The scene where the music stands out most is when Aurora is removing her makeup and sings about her life struggles and talk about being lost and not knowing who she actually is. The music shows the struggle that each character has and slowly shows how they have overcome their obstacles. Hudson is a typical teenager that is struggling to fit in and wants to make any friends, even if it is a friend that is not being her true self. Aurora displays the miserable personal life of a lonely teenager that is willing to fake herself to become someone else in order to socialize. Simon displays the maturing of a high schooler, from being someone who alienates the outcast to someone who understands the entire situation. I want to give credit to the songwriters for their outstanding music, as it makes the struggle of the kids more realistic. Some of the lyrics really reflect what the characters are going though, from school experience to personal struggles and friendships. My favorite part is when the Aurora decides to tell the truth and how Hudson has impacted her life; they begin to talk about the worst things they have done. I like it that she is not afraid to face the amount of negativity that surrounds them and makes it a positive thing to talk about.
The moral of this story is to stay true to yourself, no matter what. You should be aware that there is some negative behavior such as gossip texts and talks about suicide.
I give Authenticity: The Musical 5 out of 5 stars and recommend it for ages 12 to 18, plus adults. It would play well at the KIDS FIRST! Film Festivals because it is entertaining and has great messages about fitting in which is something that kids of all ages, even adults, need to learn how to address. Reviewed by Tom W., KIDS FIRST!
Hudson, an outcast in school, gets constantly rejected by his companions due to a simple issue - he does not have a phone. He tries to get attention from a variety of his companions, but nobody pays any attention to him. He then tries to get attention of a girl, Aurora (Breanna Cossette), which starts a tale of cat fishing - truth about friends in high school and betrayal.
I like how the film portrays a typical teenager trying to fit in, which is an endless struggle, and Hudson portrays that perfectly. The outcast idea is enhanced when Hudson uses letters to communicate with his peers. The typical high schoolers gossiping about the outcast makes the story more realistic. Furthermore, the idea of self-discovery when Simon (Anthony Carro), another kid at school, realizes that the chain of events that caused Aurora to catfish Hudson displays maturity in high schoolers.
The camera work is impressive. The shots where Aurora is removing her makeup while singing are terrific. The high angle shows the amount of tissues needed to remove her makeup and displays her vulnerability. The final scene where their true selves are revealed instead of the cat-fished version shows them acting naturally for once. The low angle shot when Simon tries to tell Paxton about the entire chain of events that led to the cat-fishing of Aurora looks heroic; Simon becomes a hero for telling the truth instead of all the lies that surrounds it. The set is in a U.S. high school and in various homes. The high school looks very typical for a public school, which makes it easy for kids to relate to. Also the bedroom sets of the characters are pretty typical teen rooms, whether personalized or basic. I also like Paxton's living room set which is very modern and clean. The music is mostly upbeat or very slow and reflects the mood of the scenes. The scene where the music stands out most is when Aurora is removing her makeup and sings about her life struggles and talk about being lost and not knowing who she actually is. The music shows the struggle that each character has and slowly shows how they have overcome their obstacles. Hudson is a typical teenager that is struggling to fit in and wants to make any friends, even if it is a friend that is not being her true self. Aurora displays the miserable personal life of a lonely teenager that is willing to fake herself to become someone else in order to socialize. Simon displays the maturing of a high schooler, from being someone who alienates the outcast to someone who understands the entire situation. I want to give credit to the songwriters for their outstanding music, as it makes the struggle of the kids more realistic. Some of the lyrics really reflect what the characters are going though, from school experience to personal struggles and friendships. My favorite part is when the Aurora decides to tell the truth and how Hudson has impacted her life; they begin to talk about the worst things they have done. I like it that she is not afraid to face the amount of negativity that surrounds them and makes it a positive thing to talk about.
The moral of this story is to stay true to yourself, no matter what. You should be aware that there is some negative behavior such as gossip texts and talks about suicide.
I give Authenticity: The Musical 5 out of 5 stars and recommend it for ages 12 to 18, plus adults. It would play well at the KIDS FIRST! Film Festivals because it is entertaining and has great messages about fitting in which is something that kids of all ages, even adults, need to learn how to address. Reviewed by Tom W., KIDS FIRST!
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