No Alternative

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source: No Alternative

The teen girl in the center of this rough, loving story is in serious trouble. Her parents aren't helping. Her brother has his own life, or so he thinks. Dickerson hold up a mirror to our unspoken mutual obligations and find in them a mortal threat ... and a thin promise of hope. The movie is beautifully shot, BTW. DP Robert Kraetsch's handheld camera gives juts the right touch of being there without intruding. Cavazos, Proft, Hamlin, and Erbe are well cast & deliver dimensioned, kitchen-sink performances. I'd love to see this movie open wide ... somehow, somewhere!

More indies please!!!!! early 90's Pacific northwest! It's about time. I had to tell everyone. GIVE US MORE INDIES!!!!!

As someone who grew up during the "grunge era," this film was a walk down memory lane for me. It perfectly captures how it felt to be a suburban teenager living in 90s, and yet it does way more than wax nostalgic. It's like "Dazed and Confused" for a new generation, but with a darker tone that is more appropriate for the time period. It also doesn't hold back in its honest depiction of mental illness, which means it's an emotional gut-punch at times. But, that's what makes it so good. Plus, the soundtrack is awesome!

Absolutely brilliant film. Very well made. Captures the time perfectly. Do yourself a favor and watch it. It has a lot of heart and portrays family so well. I enjoyed every minute of it. It is a gem of an indie film and I encourage everyone to watch it.

Full Disclosure: This hits very close to home for me. That being said, I have tried to remove myself and evaluate the movie as a separate entity from my emotions. I believe that the story nails three separate points - youth in the 1990's, mental illness and music as a societal influence. (Let us not overlook all of the era-centric "oohs" & "ahhs" from the cassette tapes, clothing, make-up and the clear bedroom telephone!) That being said, I have never understood why being born in 1980 made me an '80's kid. Most of my "growing up" years were spent during the 1990's. Back then and not much different from now, you felt your way as you went. You waded through community and pop-cultural standards as you attempted to morph yourself to fit their mold. I do not know if you could ever really "fit in" one way or the other, but you did you damndest. As I was in the process of finding myself, I was sort of like a Magic 8 Ball. I had a bunch of Mee all floating around inside and I never really knew which one was going to pop up each day. My style as I graduated grammar school and into high school was a weird morph of so many influences. I rocked a mix of the following cringe-worthy get-ups: * The Valley Girl (purple leggings and a neon tee, tied up in a knot of course) * The Hip-Hop (dressed like Aaliyah - God rest her soul - with a sports-bra-type tank, layered by a plaid flannel with matching boxers that were not-so-unintentionally sticking out of my baggy jeans) * The Alternative -ish (Long-Sleeve Offspring SMASH Tee - "Bad Habit" was my angry jam! Don't hate - I was tame. LOL!) * The IDKWTF (when I ventured to a local, popular high school's Battle of the Bands one year, dressed in my gangsta attire but sporting a "wallet chain" to maintain my essentials and could be seen head-banging my long dark hair to alternative music. It was perplexing to all around.) Yes! I was very confused! I was also an artist who was trying to "find herself." I have hit so many lows in my life, as well as highs. This story - this movie - not only brought me back to relive my youth, but also woke me to a stark and polarizing realization. Even now, even at my age, having somehow survived and (dare I say) thrived, sometimes you just need to reach out. That goes both ways! -> If you are feeling lost, low, hopeless, scared: REACH OUT! -> If you know someone feeling lost, low, hopeless, scared: REACH OUT! This story awakened me to a stark reality. I have floated around the universe and never even known a fraction of the passion that these siblings have. I am extremely moved and inspired. NO ALTERNATIVE brings light to mental illness and depression, something that I am keenly familiar with, as are so many of us. It also beckons to each of us to find our deeper self. It is a wake-up call asking two questions: "What are you doing with your life?" and "What cues are you missing in someone else's life?"

I was caught up in this film from the very first guitar licks - but it engaged me for more reasons than just the great music. Awesome acting, tight writing and editing, and the story does such a great job capturing both the 80's decade, and the rise (and decline) of grunge.

You will have to forgive me, I'm not feeling well and am on medication . . . My 13th birthday was just a few days before Nirvana's "Nevermind" hit record store shelves, so I was a ready-made teen for the grunge era. It's no surprise that "No Alternative" showed up on my radar while it was in production and I eagerly awaited what I hoped to be the first in a landslide of films chronicling the lives of teens during the 1990s. As another reviewer noted, this isn't the kind of movie that viewers would want watch over and over again. This is true, but it doesn't mean that it should earn the film a low rating. Marvel fans might watch a comic book movie multiple times or the same with fans of outrageous comedies, but that doesn't mean that they would warrant ten stars. At times "No Alternative" can be a difficult watch. You know from the movie's description that it deals with mental illness and even darker topics. The main characters's lives are at times chaotic, but they also tend to twist their own fates. Thomas seems to find success recording with his grunge band, but also ruins the outcome with his negative attitude based on minor friction with a bandmate. The same goes for his sister, Bridget, who goes by the stage name Bri-da-Bi. Bri really craps all over her parents, classmates and even a boy at a coffee shop who is trying to build a relationship with her. It's sometimes difficult to watch her spiral into addiction and give the finger to anyone offering help. I don't think it's necessary for every movie to have a loveable character, but it can be tough to have even a little empathy for those that populate "No Alternative." I definitely pity them, but empathy is a different question. On the other side of the coin, I really enjoyed the setting, the music and some of the performances. Michaela Cavazos shines as Bri. She nails the character and her Wesley Willis-style raps are catchy and full of hooks. Conor Proft melds with the script and keeps his character convincing, even though the twists and turns in his plotline can be erratic at times. Every person of each generation can share certain experiences with most of the individuals in their age group, but it doesn't mean they can identify with the specific characters in this movie. I will definitely recommend "No Alternative" to friends, with the warning that while it captures a certain time and place, it is most certainly not an upbeat or feel good teen film.

I really enjoyed this film! I was moved by the characters and their individual story lines.. Great use of music from the era to help carry this heartbreaking, intimate portrait of the difficulties of adolescence and having a voice amidst the turmoil of growing up..