Liza, Liza, Skies Are Grey

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Liza, Liza, Skies Are Grey
Directed by Terry Sanders
Written byTerry Sanders
Produced byTerry Sanders
Steven Chao
Ann Dickinson
Richard Purington
Patricia L. Seely
Starring Mikey Madison
Sean H. Scully
CinematographyErik Daarstad
Edited byTerry Sanders
Music by Charles Bernstein
Distributed byOcean Releasing
Release date
  • August 18, 2017 (2017-08-18)
Running time
95 minutes
CountryUnited States
LanguageEnglish

Liza, Liza, Skies Are Grey is a 2017 American drama film written and directed by Terry Sanders and starring Mikey Madison in her film debut and Sean H. Scully.

Contents

Plot

In the summer of 1966, a 15 year old Liza and her boyfriend, Brett, embark on a four day road trip along the coast of California. Brett is moving away at the end of summer to live in New York with his father, and the young couple wishes to lose their virginities to each other before then. Liza's mother disapproves of Brett because of his fraught family situation and pushes her daughter to suitors. Spurred by the societal shifts of this time, like the draft for the Vietnam War, Civil Rights movements across America, and the burgeoning Sexual Revolution, as well as their families splitting them apart, they take this trip in search of personal freedom and to ignore their bleak futures.

As they travel, they encounter various characters and situations that challenge their perceptions of love, independence, and responsibility, wrangling with the complexities of growing up. The movie ends with Liza and Brett having accomplished their goal, but still split apart as her mother berates her and takes her back to reality.

Cast

Release

The film was released on August 18, 2017. [1]

Reception

The film has a 30% rating on Rotten Tomatoes based on 10 reviews. [2] Alan Ng of Film Threat rated the film a 3 out of 5. [3]

Sheri Linden of The Hollywood Reporter gave the film a negative review, calling it "a meandering journey, too tepid to stir up the feelings of yearning and rebellion that it aims to evoke." [1]

Kimber Myers of the Los Angeles Times also gave the film a negative review and wrote, "With a résumé primarily populated by documentary films, two-time Oscar winner Sanders might be forgiven for issues with script and actors, but even the basics of filmmaking, such as editing and camerawork fall short." [4]

Ben Kenigsberg of The New York Times also gave the film a negative review and wrote, "But the question of whether the couple will consummate their relationship isn’t a sufficient source of tension." [5]

Positive reviews praised the intimate atmosphere and debut performance from star Mikey Madison. Barbara Shulgasser of Common Sense Media wrote "There's an overwhelming sweetness and tenderness here that will appeal as much to teens experiencing the usual growing pains as to adults for whom coming-of-age is a distant memory." [6]

Serena Donadoni of The Village Voice wrote "Smitten with his characters, Sanders takes the elements of teen exploitation films and fashions a simple, placid return to innocence." [7]

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References

  1. 1 2 3 Linden, Sheri (August 17, 2017). "'Liza, Liza, Skies Are Grey': Film Review". The Hollywood Reporter. Archived from the original on March 19, 2024. Retrieved March 19, 2024.
  2. ↑ "Liza, Liza, Skies Are Grey". Rotten Tomatoes. Archived from the original on March 19, 2024. Retrieved March 19, 2024.
  3. ↑ Ng, Alan (August 17, 2017). "LIZA, LIZA, SKIES ARE GREY". Film Threat. Archived from the original on March 19, 2024. Retrieved March 19, 2024.
  4. ↑ Myers, Kimber (August 17, 2017). "Review: California coastal drama 'Liza, Liza Skies Are Grey' is one long journey". Los Angeles Times. Archived from the original on March 19, 2024. Retrieved March 19, 2024.
  5. ↑ Kenigsberg, Ben (August 16, 2017). "Review: 'Liza, Liza, Skies Are Grey' Seems Out of Step With Its Period". The New York Times. Archived from the original on March 19, 2024. Retrieved March 19, 2024.
  6. ↑ Movie & TV reviews for parents. "Liza, Liza Skies Are Grey Movie Review | Common Sense Media". www.commonsensemedia.org. Retrieved 2024-12-06.
  7. ↑ "Liza, Liza, Skies Are Grey - Movie Reviews | Rotten Tomatoes". www.rottentomatoes.com. Retrieved 2024-12-06.
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