Wines (film)

After a long break, student Abigail Gray returns to school, who, due to psychological problems, missed several months. At this time, a new dramatic art teacher, Jeremy Woods, comes in to the classroom, asking students to stage Arthur Miller’s play The Crucible . For the role of the main antagonist, Abigail Williams would like to claim lively Melissa, a cheerleader and an informal class leader, but Woods chooses a more modest and quiet Abigail. When Abigail's partner in the scene does not appear at the rehearsal, the role of John Proctor is played by Woods himself. Abigail's game captivates him, and they begin to spend more time together, discussing a future play and rehearsing. Gradually, Woods begins to feel that he is in love with Abigail, although he is trying to ward off thoughts of her.

Melissa does not like Abigail and jealously watches the development of events. She also helps her friend Sophie get close to Eric, a handsome man from the classroom. In turn, Sophie asks for a friendship with Ellie, a girl who does not understand the hostility of the others to Abigail. Ellie often spends time after class near the assembly hall, where Woods and Abigail rehearse. During a chemistry class at home, Ellie Sophie finds her diary, where she sees on the last page a record that Woods and Abigail kissed on stage during a rehearsal. Sophie talks about this Melissa, who begins to study on the Internet cases where a teacher was accused of having a love affair with a student.

The relationship between Woods and Abigail, however, does not go beyond a kiss, and Woods tries to avoid Abigail. She feels his removal and is trying to chase the teacher. Meanwhile, Sophie wants to tear out a page from Ellie's diary as evidence, but sees that the page has already been deleted by Ellie herself. In a conversation with Sophie, Ellie says that she understands that all this was up to Melissa, who is clearly jealous of Abigail for Woods. Melissa, with the help of Sophie, grabbing Woods' note to Abigail, instead of Abigail, comes to the rehearsal in the hall to Woods, where she asks why he chose Abigail and tries to kiss Woods, but he repels her. Later, Melissa hints Abigail that she was kissing a teacher.

The day of the performance is coming. Abigail is nowhere to be found, and Melissa is preparing to enter the scene, replacing her. However, Abigail appears at the last moment and plays a role, in the words of the heroine conveying her feelings for Woods. After the performance, Abigail catches up with Woods and asks why he does not want to see her. She invites Woods home, where she goes upstairs to the bedroom and gives him the jacket, which he gave her earlier to hide from the rain. Woods says he gives this jacket to Abigail, hugs her and leaves. At this time, Melissa, insulted in her feelings, who ultimately did not get her role and Woods' attention, comes to the school administration and claims harassment from Woods. Her guardian Robert is called in there. During a story about Woods to a policeman, Melissa talks about constant harassment and beatings and it becomes clear that in fact it is about Robert, not Woods.

The next day, being late for school, Melissa is waiting outside the glass door. Abigail passing by lingers and smiles at her.

• Quinn Shepard - Abigail Gray
• Nadia Alexander - Melissa Bowman
• Chris Messina - Jeremy Woods ^[5]
• Tate Donovan - Robert McCarthy ^[5]
• Tessa Albertson - Ellie Redgrave
• Trieste Kelly Dunn - Jennifer

In general, the film received mixed and positive reviews.

On the Rotten Tomatoes website , the film is rated 80% based on 25 reviews. ^[6] The film received mixed reviews on Metacritic (54 points out of 100). ^[7]

Glenn Kenny of the New York Times called Shepard's directorial debut unfinished, ^[8] while a reviewer from The Hollywood Reporter noted that "the film is elegantly shot and edited." ^[9] Randy Astle of Filmmaker Magazine wrote that “Guilt” is “a sharp and sharp study of modern American teens.” ^[10]