Hick (2011)

She's dangerous; she's cocky; she's a hick. Chloe Grace Moretz gives a vehemently edgy performance in this picture about a young runaway who risks it all for a chance at happiness.

After turning thirteen and realizing that her lush parents are incompetent at raising her in a little Nebraska town, Luli (Chloe Grace Moretz) decides to run away to the bright lights of Las Vegas in search of a happier and lucrative life. Armed with a gun and a determined mind, she leaves her house in the blink of an eye and tries to hitch a ride. She then meets Eddie (Eddie Redmayne), a wannabe cowboy with a shady past, who offers her a short drive but she decides to go on by herself after a petty argument with him. A while later she falls asleep beside a river and is awoken by Glenda (Blake Lively), a hopeless drug addict and small time con-artist who takes her in after Luli tells her about her experience with Eddie the day before and how her parents left her. They stop by at a small hotel where Luli informs Glenda of Eddie's presence at the bar which makes Glenda uneasy and rigid, prompting Luli to question what their connection is. As she falls further and further down the rabbit hole and uncovers the dire history of the two people whom she trusted, she wonders if she will ever make it to Las Vegas and who will she be able to turn to once it's all over.

Once I saw the trailer, I was immediately hooked on the idea of a young girl running away and getting caught up in the web of two lost souls with nowhere to go. Definitely a coming of age story in the most peculiar of circumstances, but one which is cautious in its intent. The acting was absolutely superb from the trio of up and coming actors and really exhibited their poise and masterful skills when it comes to acting out such complex and demanding roles. Blake Lively was surprisingly stunning and convincing in her role of a southern rose who lost her faith in life before it even began. There is something in her character Glenda, a small spark, which can connect and inspire empathy from all those young women who have gone through life in a similar way and it only seemed right to end up the way she did at the end of the film because her past and present were so bleak and pointless. I was in tears by the end however because of what happened and the son she had left behind. And it only makes me think of all those children who were brought into this world without will, and the torment and damage they will bear for the rest of their life, knowing what their background and upbringing was like. There were a few noticeable flaws however in the story which I thought were a bit strange if this story happened in real life. Near the end, I was alarmed why Alec Baldwin's character didn't save Luli even though he saw her with Eddie and already knowing how disturbed and deranged Eddie is. Why couldn't he have come to her aid sooner and called the police on Eddie? Only after the tragic ending to Eddie and Glenda's story did he guide Luli to the place where she was needed the most and could start her life on a clean slate. Instead he just waited when he could've prevented the grisly aftermath that would scathe Luli for the rest of her life. Although I know that the film was based on a book and the director followed it as closely as possible, I suppose that kind of ending was imminent and much-needed to end the anguish that these two characters had created for themselves and the people who were affected by them.

Although the ending is somewhat bitter-sweet, it still emanates a glint of hope for a bright and stable future. One good point that came out of the film was independence from a young age. Of course Luli went through a volatile and unpredictable journey before her final stop, but from it she gained so much life experience and awareness about human character and demeanor. Of course any grown-up will consider her planned destination and trip risky and childish, but it was done in the name of freedom and the ability to build her own life because of her parent's inability to guide her there. Luli is a very mature and precocious character, but also one who is innocent and fragile. It's an incongruous mix but one which thrills and leads to numerous escapades which can evoke the adventurous spirit in all of us, prompting us to walk in Luli's shoes and gain a sense of understanding for her actions which as it turns out, are rational as opposed to what they seem from the outside. Defiance and determination can lead you a long way even if you take a wrong turn during your voyage, and it was pure luck that Luli finally found a niche for herself in a place where she would feel safe and loved by her caregiver, able to live life with a few more opportunities than in her little hometown in Nebraska.

As a sidenote, the film may be received negatively by rural folks and those who live in Nebraska because of the bleak rendition that the story demanded of it and the kind of people who inhabited the many locations and environments that Luli was surrounded by in her life and during her escapade.

Reckless and impudent in her pursuits, Luli's story in Hick is an empowering look at the struggle of a young girl to find bliss away from the deserted wasteland she has been born into, as well a touching plot about the life paths that other women have chosen or mistakenly get trapped in. It evokes a perspective on how momentous life can be and how one acquaintance or event can determine the course your life will take without your consent. We must take charge of our own destiny and be wary of the those that try to snare us in their many traps, wanting us to give up and wallow in our grief.