Not Like Everyone Else

Plot

A free-thinking student gets accused of witchcraft in the wake of the Columbine high-school shootings in this made-for-cable docudrama. The child of working-class parents who struggle to keep their kids in a good school district, Brandi Blackbear (Alia Shawkat) hopes to one day become a horror novelist. But after a run-in with a snobby classmate (Laura Wiggins) who accuses her of creating a "hit list" of enemies, overzealous administrators decide she's a threat and suspend her for the rest of the semester, confiscating her creative-writing notebooks while they're at it. Dropped by her nerdy pal Casey (Simone Carter), Brandi eventually returns to school and finds solace with new buddy Noah (Josh Blaylock). But after Brandi begins researching the pagan religion of Wicca for a short story, one of her teachers (J.D. Evermore) falls ill and she finds herself accused of witchcraft. It's only with the help of an ACLU attorney (Gary Grubbs) and a multimillion-dollar lawsuit that Brandi manages to defend her civil rights and stand up for her freedom of expression. Directed by horror and TV-movie vet Tom McLoughlin, Not Like Everyone Else co-stars Illeana Douglas and Eric Schweig as Brandi's conflicted parents. It premiered July 10, 2006 on the Lifetime cable network. ~ Brian J. Dillard, Rovi

Review

Released as part of the Lifetime channel's attempt to overhaul its staid reputation, this entertaining drama boasts better casting, edgier cinematography and a slightly more offbeat message than the network's typical "based on a true story" offerings. Yet underneath the black eyeliner and liberal politics, Not Like Everyone Else works exactly like every other Lifetime movie: It dramatizes a social issue -- sometimes gracefully, but often with a lot of clunky exposition -- using famous and/or respected thespians and a focus-grouped high concept to lure viewers. Talent-wise, the draws here are oft-underused Illeana Douglas and up-and-comer Alia Shawkat, fresh from her three-year stint on cult favorite Arrested Development. Playing mother and daughter, the two actresses share a refreshingly snarky energy courtesy of Jamie Pachino's frequently snappy script. In fact, Shawkat -- resplendent in a lite-goth get-up that's remarkably subtle for this kind of project -- maintains a believable mixture of adolescent sarcasm, teen-age idealism and inarticulate indignation whether she's playing off indie royalty or Teen People also-rans. Pachino and director Tom McLoughlin stuff their film with too many by-the-books characters, from distant fathers and disloyal best friends to evil lawyers and inspiring art teachers. The overall package is hard not to like, though, thanks to the compelling leads, brisk pace and confident storytelling. ~ Brian J. Dillard, Rovi

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