WRESTLING WITH ALLIGATORS:
“This lovely debut boasts excellent performances by Joely Richardson and Aleksa Palladino, a strong story tackling issues of sexuality, propriety, and a coming of age as a woman in 1959, and an impressive visual design. Weltz’s background in various aspects of film production shows in the film’s sense of grace, control and confidence, the film deserves an audience beyond the festival circuit.” Filmmaker Magazine
“Reeling back to 1959, Wrestling with Alligators is a coming-of-age saga steeped in wry nostalgia. Filmmaker Laurie Weltz expresses extremely limited affection for the bygone era, other than what it portends for the future, and this attitude elevates the modest tale. Weltz, who co-wrote the script with Scott Kraft, directs the piece with the sort of conviction that suggests some personal connection to the material. That’s apparent in the pic’s attention to detail, particularly in its most vivid section, which concerns Claire’s trip to an abortionist accompanied by Maddy. Paladino gives a winning performance in a cast of seasoned vets. There’s not a false note on the talent side, and that’s certainly to Weltz’s credit, the direction is adroit, and tech credits, especially the camerawork by Richard Dallett and Pam Shamshiri’s bright, pastel-paletter production design are first rate. “ Variety
“Laurie Weltz directs a heartfelt story of outcast women on the verge of boiling over when the rest of the nation was merely simmering. Aleksa Palladino adeptly leads the audience through the story. Claire Bloom plays Lulu, a reclusive silent screen idol who owns the boarding house. Bloom manages to play the elegant and isolated diva without letting her portrayal slop over the top. Her worldly understanding and affection for her boarding house tenants is testament to her brilliance as an actor…Kudos to Production Designer Pamela Shamshiri on a visually phenomenal film…It’s a must see for independent filmmakers and a fresh departure from studio production.” EXIT Magazine (4 stars for the film)
“Weltz and a fine cast collaborate to create this lush cinematic experience. There is something sublime about the period colors and locations, but just as you are lulled into nostalgic reminiscence, the film hits you with real dilemmas such as coping with an unwanted pregnancy, societal pressure and the stifling fifties conservatism that ruled this “age of innocence.” Beautifully conceived and executed, Wrestling with Alligators is a refreshingly truthful depiction of human issues and a group of women forced into new ways of thinking not by fashion but for their own survival.” John Cooper, Sundance Film Festival
“Small budget Wrestling with Alligators packs a big story. It’s candid look at the era and the women caught up in it, coupled with fresh filmmaking by Weltz gives a deeper edge absent in high-budget Hollywood pics…The story and performances are well worth it. Palladino is a fiery screen presence and displays the maturity of someone much older than her years. Her performance is filled with an innocent appeal and budding sexuality and complements her co-stars’ performances. Weltz’ social commentary of that transitional time in American history is also fascinating. A treat for film lovers, Alligators is one worth taking a look at.” West Valley View, Arizona (4 stars for the film)
“A wonderful cast does a brilliant yet subtle job. Aleksa Palladino is a real discovery; she conjures up memories of a young Natalie Wood in Inside Daisy Clover. Director Laurie Weltz gives us a wonderfully subtle and understated emotional film. She should be at the helm of a big budget film very soon.” KMLE-FM radio
ABOUT SCOUT:
“A fairy tale of runaway rebellion and survival emerges from the Texas dust in writer-director Laurie Weltz’s “About Scout...” Scout hits the road with Sam for a “Bonnie and Clyde”-like crime spree and little sister rescue mission... They make a fine pair of traveling partners, Sam with nothing to live for and Scout with nothing to lose. Ennenga carries the picture with a relaxed magnetism and is supported by the supporting starry cast, including Danny Glover and Jane Seymour. “About Scout” is a fantasy of escape rooted in the harshly lit realities of life.” LA Times
“In a twist from writer-director Laurie Weltz, About Scout‘s title character is a manic pixie-with-few- dreams girl. While there’s plenty of darkness in this unconventional romance — abandonment and suicide, parents who either cling too tightly or care too little — Weltz presents events through the sunny filter of Scout’s resourceful optimism. Every obstacle is viewed as a creative challenge, from satisfying Tallulah’s sweet tooth to calming Sam’s anxiety attacks. Their wish-fulfillment fantasy takes the MPDG trope of a wisecracking eccentric whose function is to enliven the sullen and makes her happiness tantamount to that of her male counterpart, allowing Scout’s never-say-die persistence to pull everyone forward instead of leaving her behind.” The Village Voice
“Director Laurie Weltz lucks out in this movie about two young lost souls on a mission...the actors have terrific chemistry and make you care about their characters... Weltz knows how to build tension, but it’s the relationship between the compelling Frecheville and charismatic Ennenga that captures your attention.” Now Toronto
“About Scout is a warm-hearted story about family, friendship and acceptance set in the most harrowing of circumstances. Scout is played by a brilliantly talented young actor named India Ennenga. She displays natural grace in her acting…it’s a treat to watch Ennenga work.” Virginia Debolt