Pin Cushion (2017) [Final Girls Berlin Film Festival 2018]

A very close mother and daughter move to a new town hoping to start a new, better life. As teenage Iona tries to fit in, she makes some choices that will have a lasting impact on her and her mother’s life.

Written and directed by Deborah Haywood, Pin Cushion takes a look at the bully society that the world currently lives in through the eyes of a desperate woman and her trying to fit in daughter. The two of them are put in a new place where they can start anew, but like anywhere else, the bullies, the popular girls, and the assholes are still there and very present in their lives. As the teenage daughter dreams of a better life with a different mother, her mother only wants her happiness but goes about it in odd ways. Their struggles are very real and some of them will hit home for many even with some exaggerated bits here and there. The film makes a good point of showing how the cruelty of others often has no bounds and that mental anguish is often worse than its physical manifestation. Here the relationship between a mother and her child is shown as something that is constantly evolving and changing while the characters are as well. The film makes a point to show that not all is well sometimes and that the worst can happen.

Playing the mother, Lyn, Joanna Scanlan who does a fantastic job of giving the mom the right amount of sadness, hope, and love for her daughter, no matter what she does or if whether it’s right or wrong. Scanlan’s acting here is superb, giving a ton to the family scenes and an interpretation of this desperate mom that hits in the gut. Playing her daughter Iona is actress Lily Newmark who gives her character more hope, less desperation, but yet feels sad as she tries to be an upbeat girl to fit in but all comes crashing and creates more difficulty for her. Newmark plays the part with an assurance and vulnerability that connect perfectly with the character and the viewer. Her acting is strong, yet innocent enough to sell the part of the young Iona who has clearly been sheltered most of her life and is now the victim of restless bullying. The film revolves around the two of them and they make it worth more than a watch.

The images used to create this story are beautiful and colorful, something that is in antithesis to the film’s story and emotions, creating a sort of hope in the darkness. The cinematography by Nicola Daley creates these images with talent and a way of looking at people that helps create a sense of caring for them. This with the editing by Nick Emerson, the art direction, and the visual effects create scenes that draw the attention and don’t let go. Iona’s dream sequences are ethereal and lovely, giving the film a bit of a break from the dark and bleak that surrounds her.

Pin Cushion is a sad tale with a lot of heart about the effects of bullying and the need to fit in. It’s a film where a girl’s colorful, happy dreams clash with her dark and bleak reality. The acting is superb all around with two stunning performance from Joanna Scanlan and Lily Newmark. It’s one of those films that create a sense of whimsy while tackling a serious subject in bullying and its ramifications. The film is sad and beautiful, dark and hopeful in a way that is not easy to achieve.