Meg is a gifted but emotionally scarred 18-year-old who finds solace in writing poetry. Mr. Auster, her English teacher, recognizes her talent and encourages her to enter a national poetry contest. As tension at home escalates and Meg struggles to find a way to get to the poetry finals in Florida, Auster's role in her life becomes increasingly complex.
Acting
Bruckner's volcanic restraint; Strathairn's wolf-in-sheep's-clothing warmth.
Writing
Poetry that actually feels written by a teenager, not a screenwriter.
Director
Karen Moncrieff
Trivia, insights & behind the scenes
Director Karen Moncrieff made this after her sister's death; the film's grief is lived-in, not performed. The Ohio suburbs were shot in Los Angeles—every frame of economic struggle was manufactured.
The titular blue car was a 1978 Plymouth Horizon that kept breaking down during production, mirroring Meg's own unreliable escape vehicle.
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