"Slash" a movie created by Clay Liford and stars Michael Johnston and Hannah Marks is the film to see if you are already getting tired of the usual and predictable coming-of-age stories. This independent film focuses on the life of a high-school outcast Neil (Johnston) and the relationship which he will later have with Julia (Marks).
An article from Variety provides the plot of "Slash" which mainly tackles the lives of typical adolescents and their journey to self-discovery through unconventional means. Dubbed by the post as "dramedy" the engaging film features a lot of hilarious yet enlightening moments.
In this story, the 15-year old freshman loves creating "slash fiction," a genre which features sexual encounters between homosexual characters. His classmates would soon discover his writings and spread it to the whole school, putting Neil in deep shame. The mishap will soon have a nice turn as his work will attract an older student Julia who is also a fan of erotic fiction.
Julia will then encouraged the budding writer to post his works in an adult site online which will bring in the character of Denis (Michael Ian Black) to the story. Denis is the moderator of the site where Neil will post his stories and will flirt with the teen writer, thinking he is of age. The film's uniqueness lies in the fact that the very young characters are dealing with issues which the general society may be perceived as taboo such as sexual fantasies and erotic writings.
Just the fact that this film rises beyond usual standards already makes it a must-see. Still, "Slash" is also hit among critics by getting mostly positive reviews as proven in its 93% rating in Rotten Tomatoes. Most of the comments in the said site detailed how the film is funny, honest, and poignant.
The "Slash" film is written and directed by Clay Liford. Aside from Michael Johnston and Hannah Marks, cast members also include Jessie Ennis, Missi Pyle, Tishuan Scott, Peter Vack, and, Michael Ian Black.