A rather bland film with various strong points. First off, the pretty pictures of the posh side of New York are nice to watch. Dominique Swain is not a great actress, but still in every film she displays an attractive cuteness, and beside her there are plenty more pretty schoolgirls to be enjoyed (some of them even went on to do more well-known stuff). The late Brad Renfro plays another troubled teen, and even funny man Scott Thompson pops up in a serious role. Then there are quite a few elements in the story that make for some spicy drama-ingredients, that might well have really worked...But as I said before, there is a blandness to all of it that keeps me from going really under in this teen tale of... well, teen stuff gone bad, basically. It does have its moments, and at those moments that blandness has a sort of stilled quality to it, but it altogether stays unconvincing. And then the voice-over... pretty much totally unnecessary, sounding much like 'dear diary'-entries.5 out of 10, and that's me being generous.

For me this movie is about losing things and being lost. And it makes the observation that when you're lost you can end up losing things that you didn't know you had much less that you wanted to keep. Cat (Dominique Swain) doesn't know who she is, which ironically doesn't keep her from not liking who she is. And in the people around her -- family and friends, adults and peers -- she finds varying amounts of belonging, rejection, hope, and disillusionment. In other words, Cat is just 17 in a way that should be familiar to us.That's one of the strengths of Christina Wayne's quiet, mature film is the feeling of verite. I've never been young and rich in NYC (or near-rich, or formerly-rich, or trying-to-keep-up- with-the-rich) but Wayne's portrait seems so detailed it makes me really curious to know if she has been. Far from being "Just another spoiled rich kids film - _Kids_ meets _Metropolitan_!" Wayne shows us Cat trying to "fit in" and a diverse number of reasons -- from financial to social to emotional to behavioral -- why you can cast out of this insular, cannibalistic sub-culture. Another strength is Wayne's direction and writing. The film is well-constructed with strong characters, with images and (Yeah, I'll say it ...) motifs that appear once and then quietly reappear in different contexts. And all throughout Wayne shows a really nice eye for pictures. Plus she's got really good people doing good work. I mean, everyone is in this movie: Swain, Renfro, Phillips, Zehetner, Chabert and Barton (before they had to try to be smoking hot), Scott Thompson of _Kids in the Hall_ fame. She even gets Melanie Griffith to do a walk-on.One thing the film has going against it is the marketing. Looking at the trailer and the film poster, it's clear that Lions Gate or whoever didn't know how to pitch this film. It seems like they wanted it to be naughtier or rowdier or ... brighter than it is. But it's not a melodrama. There are no simple heroes and villains, no moralizing on right and wrong, no suspense- ridden plot. It's the type of character-based, even, sad, dramatic storytelling that seems to go down better in Canada that here in the States. I like it, though. If you've got a quiet morning and some time, it deserves a try.

this movie was very blue,and not so entertaining. in my opinion the sound was not clear on some parts. most of all it was just kind of hard to watch and i just didn't like it. The title,sex,drugs,and study hall soundsjuicy but the movie does not live up to thecatchy box. instead its a pitiful excuse of a low budget movie. i found it neither touching or funny. if you want to see something long and blue go and rent this movie.for the people to be rich, the sets looked boring and mundane for no reason. the best part is when the character was happy for a short moment.

I love movies that almost grasp the reality of a teens life. Though I do enjoy the occasional happy ending, as unrealistic as they are. Tart was real, the boy really screws you over and leaves you heartbroken. 'Chick flicks' have probably a more depressing ending than movies like Tart, because you know you will never find that perfect mate, it gives us false hope and sets us up for disappointment. While Tart is cold, hard, reality. Probably a little more harsh than most of our realities. After watching Tart, you don't think wow that was a great movie because it leaves you with an uneasy feeling. Life isn't rainbows and butterflies, and Tart is a great example of that, what we refuse to see, but its there. Love it or hate it. But I choose to love it.