Broken Gardenias (DVD Review)

Jenni (Alma S. Grey) is a rather odd young woman prone to treating the plants she works with like real people and telling them nerdy jokes. Her already somewhat fragile life falls apart after a short stay in the hospital results in her getting let go from her job and being unceremoniously evicted from her house by her selfish roommate.

With no house, job or friends, Jenni decides to end it all but is saved from suicide by the free-spirited Sam (Ashley Morocco), who offers the hand of friendship and also suggests they should follow Jenni’s dreams with a trip to LA to find her father, who abandoned her when she was just six.

It’s then off on a road trip, with the women meeting various characters along the way. The possibility of romance also emerges, but a spanner is thrown in the works when Sam bumps into an old flame, which disrupts Jenni’s quest to find her dad and could leave the young woman on her own once more.

Broken Gardenias is a fun film, even if at times it’s a little problematic. There’s a real joie de vivre about the movie, with the movie keen to show that genderqueer people living outside the mainstream are still good, worthwhile and interesting, and that those who many shy away from because they’re ‘weird’ often have hidden depths.

However it’s also rather naïve at time and a little uneven, sometimes ignoring the ramifications of the darker sides of its characters. For example, it has a tendency to treat attempted suicide as a kooky activity someone might engage in rather than a sign of a severe mental crisis. It also never really questions Sam’s potentially dangerous idealism, nor that Jenni’s problems may need more support and help than a new friend and trip to LA can offer. Perhaps the movie simply agrees with Sam, although there are moments when it seems aware there’s more to life than her simplistic idealism, but it never properly addresses them.

It is entertaining though with a real queer spirit that weaves sexuality and gender ideas together to create a fun road trip flick that’ll keep a smile on your face. It’s particularly helped by Ashley Morocco, who gives a great performance as Sam and feels like she’s bringing more into the movie than the sometimes simplistic script offers.

Overall Verdict: A genderqueer road trip that entertains and keeps a smile on your face, even if its naiveté is occasionally a little troubling.

Reviewer: Tim Isaac