I walked into the screening of Evergreen with my dietcoke and red vines licorice expecting another Garden State.Instead, this attempt at a life changing moral fell horriblyshort.

Evergreen is a movie about Kate and Henri, adevastatingly poor mother and daughter falling apart as they try toget back on their feet. The movie opens with the two arriving at abarely standing four-room shack on the outskirts of a town nearSeattle where Kate grew up. Henri is devastated by hersurroundings, the memory of paint clinging to the walls, the waterthat leaks through the ceiling when it rains and the makeshift bedshe and her mother share on the floor.

Kate tells her daughter that there are only two places to workin the town, the make-up factory or the toilet paper factory. Sheheads off to the former to make her living and help the girls get aplace of their own.

Henri has her own life in the town, which includes Chad, a boyfrom her high school who drives her around in his Jeep. Henri willnot let Chad drive her all the way home, embarrassed by her meagerliving situation as compared to Chad’s.

At Chad’s home, Henri is welcomed with open arms by herfriend’s agoraphobic (afraid of open places) mother andgambling father. Her double life leads to completely obviouscomplications.

Writer Enid Zentelis’s creation of this rich world/poorworld situation is a well-intentioned attempt at proving the pointthat money doesn’t equal happiness. But how many times have Iseen the same thing. By the end of the movie, I felt like I had bebludgeoned over the head with her over emphasized moral.

While the story seemed to lack in many areas, I will say thatthe casting was some of the best I’ve ever seen. Addie Land(Henri), gave one of the most amazingly convincing performances Ihave ever seen.

Also of note, the movie is the first ever to be shown completelydigitally (think pre-show entertainment), and was downloaded to thetheater via satellite. The picture itself was amazingly clear andwas definitely a change from the projector reel movies of thepast.

Evergreen opens Sept. 10 and is exclusive to AMCtheaters.