Retro review: All Over Me (1998)

''All Over Me,'' a confident first feature directed by Alex Sichel and written by her sister Sylvia, observes the teen-age angst of best girlfriends being driven apart by stirrings of sexual identity. Big, ungainly Claude (Alison Folland) must deal with the attraction she feels for Ellen (Tara Subkoff), a druggy flirt who also has a boyfriend vying for her affections.
The boyfriend (Cole Hauser) is a benighted macho type and homophobe. Hell's Kitchen is the gritty backdrop for the story, in which Claude works at a pizza restaurant and rollerblades home to the apartment she shares with her pathetically man-crazy mother. Enter Luke (Pat Briggs), a self-assured gay musician, who encourages Claude to actually explore her feelings and perceptions of herself and the world that she lives in. Claude's life is falling apart as those around her continue to destroy themselves in an orgy of drug abuse that eventually leads to murder.


Taking Luke's advice, she finds her way to the local lesbian bar where she meets Lucy (Leisha Hailey), a cute punkish girl playing in an all girl band. But is this the lifestyle that Claude really wants? "All Over Me" is essential viewing for anyone who has fallen in love, made the mixtape and suffered the consequences.

Directed by Alex Sichel; written by Sylvia Sichel; director of photography, Joe DeSalvo; edited by Sabine Hoffmann; music by Miki Navazio; production designer, Amy Silver; produced by Dolly Hall; released by Fine Line Features. At Angelika Film Center, 18 West Houston Street, at Mercer Street, Greenwich Village. Running time: 90 minutes. This film is rated R.

WITH: Alison Folland (Claude), Tara Subkoff (Ellen), Cole Hauser (Mark), Pat Briggs (Luke), Wilson Cruz (Jesse) and Leisha Hailey (Lucy).