Nothing Sterile About This Cuckoo-Kookie Pookie Shines ***1/2
Liza Minnelli received a well deserved Oscar nomination here as best actress as Pookie Adams. Emotionally detached and socially awkward, Minnelli etched a memorable performance as the young girl reduced to saying anything to garner attention in her long pursuit to be accepted and loved.Co-star and future director, Wendell Burton, is just wonderful as the shy boyfriend who comes to love the way out Kookie.
This is truly a wonderful story of maturity gained through love. It would only take an outstanding performance by Maggie Smith in "The Prime of Miss Jean Brodie" to beat out Minnelli as well as Jane Fonda's tragic Gloria in "They Shoot Horses, Don't They?"
Pookie's early scenes as a real lovable nut job are so realistic. Her acting depth is well realized here as she emotionally matures.
The ending is definitely a downer but so has been Pookie's very existence. She still has to find herself.
score 9/10
edwagreen 11 October 2008
Reprint: https://www.imdb.com/review/rw1959131/35286
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