I actually just watched that the other day on IFC - I had always meant to see it. I really enjoyed it and found the story fascinating. Young Kate Winslet was charming as always IMO.
Originally posted by: lokiju
What is it even about?
It is the true story of two teenage girls in New Zealand in 1952 who developed an obsessive friendship that may or may not have involved sexual contact. Their parents, afraid of them becoming lesbians, started trying to separate them, and one of them was told she would have to move to South Africa. The two decided to murder one of their mothers, and did in fact beat her to death with a brick. The police immediately found her daughter's diary, including many references to the murder (the movie includes voice-over narration read from the actual diary), and arrested them. They were convicted and went to prison for five years, and were told as a condition of their release that they could never see each other again.
Obviously I have just told much of the story of the movie, but I think most members of the audience already knew the basic events (indeed, it's clear in the opening scene that the girls have committed a murder) - the way it's told is fascinating.
Oddly (and this came out when the movie was released), one of the two changed her name and went on to become a successful mystery author in England. Her name is now Anne Perry.
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