Loving Annabelle is a film that seems to polarize viewers into two camps (see the comments on this site)--those who see it as a love story between two consenting individuals, and those who see it as a story about "stalking" and "immorality". If the primary purpose of the director was to force viewers to confront their feelings about an emotionally charged topic, then well done.

I liked the film except for the ending, which is not to say that the ending ruined the film for me. Throughout the film I thought the action was leading down a fairly predictable path, but I liked the writing because in many ways it avoids the obvious clichés.

The story takes place in a Catholic school--certainly one of the most repressed and structured environments. And the school environment takes place within the framework of American law, with all its legal restrictions. The story is set up so that a conflict must arise--legally, if not otherwise. The story reminds us that the law is unbending and unforgiving--without regard to intention or feelings, whereas humans are emotional and sometimes place love above all other considerations.

The titular role of Annabelle was very strongly played. Other roles were portrayed well, though the action was very centered on Annabelle, the student, and Simone, the teacher.

I also thought that music was used very well in this production. It did not overpower, but aided the mood in the scenes.

Annabelle (Erin Kelly) is a rebellious free spirit sent to a strict Catholic high school by her parents. Among her other unorthodoxies, she's a lesbian. So is her poetry teacher (Diane Gaidry) who is trying to live a normal life with a normal boyfriend with whom she sleeps, but she gets nothing out of the relationship.

There are some admirable things about the film. For one thing, neither of the two principals is a hottie, which is perfectly fine. Kelly is attractive, as most high-school-age girls tend to be; Gaidry is quite beautiful at around the age of forty. But neither looks remotely like a sexual machine. Neither is Denise Richards bursting out of a tiny swim suit, or the collagenic Angelina Jolie. They both look rather average.

The story and dialog are, if not sophisticated, at least not dumbed down for an audience of air heads. It's an adult picture. There are not only quotations from Rilke and Proust but the lines play a meaningful part in the plot.

And there are a few neatly done directorial touches, by Katherine Brooks. Gaidry has been seeing this rather nice guy for whom she feels little. But after she has begun to succumb to Kelly's overtures, she distances herself from her boy friend. And when he drives her home after their last date, he kisses her as usual but she responds perfunctorily. Instead of acting shocked, the surprised guy (Markus Flanagan) leans back against the car door and stares at her silently, wearing a vague smile, while seconds of silence tick by. The temptation must have been there for Flanagan to immediately start waving his arms and carrying on like some animal in a zoo after that desultory kiss, but it doesn't happen. All men are not brutes.

Kevin McCarthy is the sympathetic priest but he's marginal to the developments. Two characters in the story are devalued by the script. One of the girls squeals on Kelly and Gaidry when the two are having their first and only physical encounter. And Mother Immaculata (Ilene Graff) is stern and unforgiving. She's supposed to be tough -- always wearing a scowl and with an unbecoming do -- but she's a cream puff compared to the nuns I had to cope with in my youth. Whew.

If there's a problem, and there is, it's that neither of the leads can act very well. Kelly is taciturn and unconvincing except when having a fit of pique. Gaidry is better at nuance, but she really has only two expressions: slightly concerned and profoundly worried.

There have been good movies, and some very good, about lesbian affairs, latent or overt. "Madchen in Uniform" remains one of the best and most subtle. More recently, "Desert Hearts" captured the complexity of such affairs without resort to gossipy school girls. "Notes on a Scandal" was poignant because it so effectively projected Judi Dench's desperation at having grown matronly. "The Children's Hour" is more of a schematic diagram than a feature movie.

Generally speaking, I'm not a big fan of romance movies; or at least not 'straight' romance movies (meaning films that follow a set structure, not anything regarding sexuality). If I'm going to like a romance movie, it really needs to have a twist; and while this film does follow a set formula and it's always clear where it's going; the fact that the two leads are female, as well as the fact that their romance is forbidden due to their 'professional' relationship and not to mention the religious themes means that director Katherine Brooks' debut feature has just about enough to distance itself from the mainstream. The film takes place in a Catholic school and the story begins with the arrival of new student Annabelle. She makes it clear soon enough that she's not happy to merely fit in with the rest of the girls and soon she focuses her attention on sexy older woman and teacher Simone Bradley. Once it becomes clear that they have chemistry, the younger girl then proceeds to pursue the older until the inevitable dramatic conclusion.

I cant say that this film is perfect; a plot like this is always going to rely a lot on coincidence and the way that the characters are laid out is not particularly inventive and the role each of the main players is going to play is as obvious as where the plot is going from the outset. In spite of this, however, Loving Annabelle works as both a slice of light entertainment and a touching love story. The writer/director seems keen to try and make a point out of the story and largely does succeed in getting us behind the main characters to get what she wants to say across. That's not to say that the film is particularly life-affirming, however. The director has a history of directing stuff for MTV, so unsurprisingly this film is a rather glossy affair, although it is well acted and well directed with lead actresses Erin Kelly and Diane Gaidry making an impression. I'm probably not the only straight male who went into this film hoping for some steamy lesbian sex, and while we are made to wait for it and the 'pay off' is over rather quickly; the lesbian sex scene is skilfully shot and works well within the context of the movie. Loving Annabelle is an impressive debut overall and while it probably will not ever have mass market appeal; if you have a mind to seek it out, you probably won't leave disappointed.