Enoch is a grieving teenager who has lost his parents in a car crash, been kicked out of school, and is currently playing board games with a Kamikaze ghost from WWII. Finding solace in attending funerals, he is busted by a minister and while being threatened, a beautiful young girl comes to his rescue and claims him as an acquaintance. The two begin a courtship and it is gradually revealed that the life loving girl, Annabel, is dying of terminal brain cancer. Gus Van Sant’s film, which was written by Jason Lew and surely inspired by Hal Ashby's "Harold and Maude", is a touching and beautifully realized work, which wonderfully incorporates its whimsical elements. Mia Wasikowska, delivers an indelible performance as the convivial young girl and Henry Hopper (Dennis's son) contributes nicely in a moody performance. I found myself being drawn into the lives of these characters and Van Sant does a terrific job setting his palate and maintaining his tone.
