Evergreen (2003)

44% of critics liked it
(36 reviews)
41% of users liked it
(246 ratings)

Writer/director Enid Zentelis makes her feature-length debut with the coming-of-age drama Evergreen, shot on-location in Seattle, WA. Teenager Henri (Addie Land) and her single mother Kate (Cara Seymour) move in with Henri's grandmother (Lynn Cohen) in a crumbling old house. Kate works at a factory… More Writer/director Enid Zentelis makes her feature-length debut with the coming-of-age drama Evergreen, shot on-location in Seattle, WA. Teenager Henri (Addie Land) and her single mother Kate (Cara Seymour) move in with Henri's grandmother (Lynn Cohen) in a crumbling old house. Kate works at a factory but the working-poor household just barely gets by. Henri goes to a new school and meets Chat Turly (Noah Fleiss), a wealthy boy from an upscale family. Welcomed with open arms, Henri falls in love with the Turly family (Mary Kay Place and Bruce Davidson) and all the material comfort that their lifestyle affords. Envy of this new family causes her to have shame for her own roots. John Stirratt from Wilco and Uncle Tupelo contributes to the musical score with his band the Autumn Defense. Evergreen premiered at the Sundance Film Festival in 2004 as part of the dramatic competition. ~ Andrea LeVasseur, Rovi

Rating, Runtime: PG-13, 1 hr. 30 min.
Directed By: Addie Land, Bruce Davidson
Written By: Enid Zentelis
Genres: Drama

In Theaters: Sep 10, 2004 Wide
On DVD: Nov 10, 2009

Critic Reviews

Walter V. Addiego, San Francisco Chronicle
Aiming for simplicity, it ends up simplistic.
Jay Boyar, Orlando Sentinel
Observant, touching, funny and smart.
Stephen Whitty, Newark Star-Ledger
Serves as a small, heartfelt corrective to all the tween fantasies being sold this year.
Bruce Westbrook, Houston Chronicle
Newcomer Land is a find, performing with guileless naturalism and resilient dignity.
Tom Long, Detroit News
The progression of Evergreen is fairly familiar and director Zentelis relies heavily on characters who aren't inherently that interesting.
Ty Burr, Boston Globe
Only the performances keep the film out of After School Special territory.
Nell Minow, Common Sense Media
Thought-provoking film about social class; teens+.
Mark Pfeiffer, Reel Times: Reflections on Cinema
Evergreen is composed of standard teleplay material that fails to surprise and engage at almost every turn.
Vince Koehler, Entertainment Spectrum
The movie comes to a satisfactory conclusion teaching the lesson that things aren't always as good as they look.
Brent Simon, Entertainment Today
The dialogue is on-the-nose and its lessons are pedestrian, but the film remains a "working poor-trait" of poignancy and grace due to Addie Land's unself-conscious turn.
Steve Schneider, Orlando Weekly
Dreary and amateurish.
Dustin Putman, DustinPutman.com
A solid, affectionately told drama, at times wavering the line of excellent, that only disappoints when it doesn't add up to the fully-realized catharsis it is aiming for.
Jeanne Aufmuth, Aufmuth.com
Rife with clichés and precocious artsy-craft.
Angel Cohn, TV Guide's Movie Guide
While the film has striking moments, it feels padded with events that seem freighted with narrative weight but end up not mattering at all to the story.
Moira MacDonald, Seattle Times
Zentelis' affection for her characters and the clear-eyed honesty of her storytelling glides us through any unsubtleties.

Read all 15 critic reviews

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Cast

Cara Seymour
as Kate
Mary Kay Place
as Susan Turly
Noah Fleiss
as Chat Turly

Gary Farmer
as Jim
Lynn Cohen
as Grandmom
Addie Land
as Henri

See full cast