Highly expressive, sensitive, surreal, yet startlingly honest, I Believe in Unicorns marks an impressive directorial debut by Leah Meyerhoff. Based in part on her autobiography, there's no questioning the deeply personal nature of the material, it all shines through in the tremendous lead female performance. Even when escaping into a glistening imaginary world of unicorns and dragons, one step remains firmly planted in an all-too-familiar yet strikingly real story of first love.
Wide-eyed Natalia Dyer gives a dazzling breakout turn as Davina, a quiet and imaginative 16-year-old girl who longs for a life outside of the cramped walls of her home. There she's largely responsible for the care of her wheelchair-bound mother (Meyerhoff's actual mom), a daily process we sense has become a cage for adventurous spirit. A chance to broaden her horizons geographically, emotionally, and sexually, arises when she encounters Sterling (Peter Vack), a cigarette-smoking, long-haired, leather-jacketed punk rocker with bad news written all over him. It doesn't take much for him to sweep Davina off her feet with lofty promises to break free from their stagnant lives, traveling the world together in a state of perpetual bliss. She doesn't care where they go, "anywhere but here" she says, and so they embark on a road trip, a whimsical Bonnie & Clyde journey of self-discovery and sexual awakening.
All of this may sound like just another indie romance about fleeting teen love, Meyerhoff treads fresh ground with the depiction of Davina's wondrous inner-life. It's there that we see the swirl contradictory emotions captured in storybook-style fantasy. Using stop-motion animation of handmade unicorns, fearsome dragons, all set in a Game of Thrones-esque world that can be brutal or tender, depending on Davina's mood. At one moment she may be floating high in the air like a princess, in the next she's firing a volley of arrows that kills everything in sight. That it all comes across as chaotic and confusing makes sense because such raw emotions can't easily be understood and are often terrifying.While our travels through Davina's dreamscape are often intoxicating, reality proves just as compelling, at least for a while. Their aimless journey includes a stop at a roller rink, a literal roll in the hay, lots of arguing, plenty of kissing and making up, but not much in the way of dialogue. When they do converse, Davina says things like "I will spread my wings and smother you with a million tiny feathers." It may sound unbearably twee but Davina is such a wonderfully complex character; strong and vulnerable, sunny and stormy, and willing to explore these new feelings that come with womanhood. Meyerhoff fails to keep the new discoveries coming, though, and even with a brief runtime there's a noticeable drag. The biggest problem may be the film's conclusion, which takes what had been a complicated emotional roller coaster and wraps it up in a neat little bow.
With Hollywood seemingly reluctant to provide women's stories told from a strong female perspective, I Believe in Unicorns is a welcome presence, and Meyerhoff a director to watch.
Rating: 3 out of 5
