rooprect Ever notice whenever a work of art is referred to as "experimental" it usually sucks? Not so here, if "The Tracey Fragments" is indeed experimental, I'd have to say the experiment produced successful results. The gimmick here is that the entire film is presented with multiple cameras showing different "fragments" of Tracey's memories.In the DVD bonus feature, director Bruce McDonald says he used this method to convey the nature of memories. And true, if you think about it, how often do you have a memory that plays out like a linear story? Most often memories jump back & forth, focus on different objects, change perspective and become intertwined with other memories.If you're ready for a disorienting experience like this, then you'll enjoy this movie because, while being difficult to digest, it's ultimately a rewarding experience. Tracey (expertly played by Ellen Page) is a 15-year-old outcast who is constantly ridiculed & abused by schoolmates, parents and strangers. The movie recounts 2 or 3 intense days in her life, beginning with the story of her missing brother, jumping back to a few days before, and eventually coming full circle and then beyond. While the story itself is linear, the narration (through Tracey's memories) is anything but linear, and the multiple cameras add a deeper dimension of confusion.But whether you grasp every individual camera & scene or not, the story unfolds clearly, and by the end we are aware of what happened with a few dramatic surprises to boot. Although I hate the phrase "coming of age story" because it conjures up images of extreme boredom and sappiness, this movie is a great, gritty, powerful coming of age story. It's a lot like how I would imagine the book "Catcher in the Rye" with its seemingly random episodes that are glued together by a common theme. In the case of "The Tracey Fragments" (much like Catcher) the theme is about a young adolescent who sees himself/herself as the protector of a younger child; however, the protector herself is coming apart from the strain of protecting innocence while losing her own innocence.Although the character Tracey is a lot like Ellen Page's character in "Juno" as well as her character in "Whip It", don't expect the same quirky humor because "The Tracey Fragments" is much darker and sometimes disturbing. You might crack a smile at some scenes, and she does have a few great sarcastic lines, but mostly this is a heavy drama with an emphasis on weird.There aren't many films I can compare this to, but one that comes to mind is the excellent "Man of the Year" (2002) starring John Ritter, a movie featuring about 2 dozen actors and 2 dozen cameras filming simultaneously in real time. Another film I'm reminded of is "Pi" (1998) the directoral debut of Darren Aronofsky who also did "Requiem for a Dream", "The Fountain" and "Black Swan". If you like dark films like those with unusual visual styles, give this one a whirl.

ivovanderavert So here's Tracey Berkowitz, a young girl in the back of a bus, telling you where she's heading and who's she's looking for: her younger, 9-year old brother, who believes he's a dog and has gone missing recently.Yet it's not only that she's on the lookout for someone. She's also on the run: from her parents who can't relate to her, her weird psychiatrist, her schoolmates who pick on her.The film is shot in a fragmented, non-linear style. Most of the time, the story is brought to you in various screens, ranging from just one to maybe a thirty or over. After a while, it becomes obvious that the narrator has some hidden secrets, and that things may not be the way you are brought to believe.At first, the story really grabbed my attention. The kaleidoscopic style almost immediately submerges you into the story, and although the movie lasts for about 70 minutes, the enhanced intensity created by its style easily compensates for that.The music is good, and Ellen Page acts superbly of course. It's an amazing thing really, how Page can turn even mediocre movies into gold. Or silver, at least. I wouldn't wanna say that this movie is mediocre, however, it has two main drawbacks. First: its style starts to defeat its purpose after a while. Moderation would have been the key over here.Second, the kind of story that you're told isn't really anything you haven't seen in other movies, or at least fractions of other movies. The end is striking, however far from original.Go see this one if you like a good indie-movie and good acting. But do not expect the kind of Nolan-like psychological riddles that this one appears to offer.

Shimky It's all about taste. But 6.0 on IMDb? Unbelievable.This is a superb film.SUPERB.Difficult subject matter? Yes.6.0? Don't make me laugh. Everyone's entitled to their opinion. That's why we have so many successful Hollywood blockbusters. Know what I mean? And those same people vote on IMDb.Watch this film. Expand your mind. You'll still be thinking about it days later.Trust Shimky. He won't waste your time.

FightOwensFight Arguabley one of the most original films out there... The Tracey Fragments might rely a bit too much on its originality and not enough on the substance. I guarantee that several weeks to several years after you see it, you will remember it for the way fragments of Tracey's world are shown on film... it's impact of the picture in picture style speak loud like an abstract painting... but you will forget what it's about. And for that, The Tracey Fragments ultimately fails - like a star giving it's last bursting glimmer, you never forget the that shine but you will never remember exactly where in the sky it was. Still, I can't not recommend this film - Oh no, I still say you must see it and appreciate it for what it is... A very real and fragmented portrait of a young teenage girl named Tracey who fills life's voids with a mixture of fantasy and reality to make a very rental worthy 77 minute original film thats impact will be both lost and lasting - like every awkward 15 year old nobody you see lost in their own world at the back of the city transit. 6.5/10