Like a Canadian "Six Feet Under," the indie dramedy Whole New Thing mixes characters (teen and adult, gay and straight, married and single) who seem both completely plausible and capable of anything.
Develops its story slowly and carefully, nearly always opting for the plausible over the sensational.
75
TV Guide MagazineKen Fox
TV Guide MagazineKen Fox
Interestingly, the real heart of the film is in the finely drawn adult characters.
60
Chicago Reader
Chicago Reader
The film features subtle, honest performances by Daniel MacIvor (who also cowrote the screenplay) as the perplexed prof and engaging newcomer Aaron Webber as the sensitive student.
Whole New Thing comes unglued toward the end, spiraling into melodrama without ever escaping its whiny, indie-rock soundtrack.
30
Village Voice
Village Voice
Half-new at most, this "Running With Scissors"–type tale of a precocious, effeminate teen who gets hot for teacher while prepping for a life in the arts isn't evidently autobiographical. Neither is it funny--or poignant or insightful or remotely worth one's time.
30
Film ThreatPhil Hall
Film ThreatPhil Hall
The one lesson learned from watching this film is that Canadians can make movies just as badly as anyone else.