Raising Victor Vargas

One of the purest instances of indie cinema this year. "Pure" meaning that in every aspect of filmmaking and intent this picture is peerless, so truly real, funny, poignant and sexy that it almost feels like a watershed cinematic moment.

Succeeds where 100 studio-generated teen romances -- starring the bland, the blunt or the blow-dried -- have failed.

A comedy in the best sense--it draws its life from the pitch-perfect authenticity of its characters.

The ''R'' rating is understandable, but absurd. This is a family film in the most complicated and, ultimately, most cheering sense.

What makes Raising Victor Vargas so special, beyond its irresistible charisma, is how Sollett and his cast capture the thrill of first love.

Landed exactly the right actors for a script that already gets points for respecting its teenage characters.

There's something uniquely gratifying about watching nonprofessionals deliver totally natural performances.