Party On

What do you do when you're bored, when every day seems to be the same? How about throwing a party to raise your spirits? That's what our three young heroines decide to do, but when their older brother objects, things become difficult.

Party On was conceived and created by young people with learning and behavioural difficulties and, as such, it makes no attempt to stay within the bounds of conventional narrative. Instead it explores the feelings which teenagers have about parties, and the associations they make. Parties involve glitter, balloons, make-up and leaping about. There's something really refreshing about the simplicity of this, a more honest insight into young minds than films made about them by adults usually manage. It's expressed through a blur of images which seem to have more to do with thoughts than with traditional storytelling. The young actresses are all good, delivering very direct performances which are easy to relate to.

Despite all this fun, Party On has a twist. The girls, lamenting the meanness of their party pooper brother (who basically just wants some peace and quiet so he can study), nevertheless turn out to have prejudices of their own. The band they have hired isn't quite what they expected - but as a result, their party will turn out to be an educational experience as well as a celebration.

Although the sound is poor at the start and the editing is a little choppy, most of the technical work in Party On is quite competent, and it certainly holds its own amid the myriad ranks of similar small scale productions. A voice of protest for frustrated young teens everywhere, with a feelgood finale.