Lose your way. Find yourself.|Sep. 14, 2009|United States|96 Min.|R
Genre: Drama
Description: “Tanner Hall” is a 2009 drama film that follows the coming-of-age journey of four girls at a boarding school. Directed and written by Tatiana von Fürstenberg and Francesca Gregorini, the movie features a talented cast including Rooney Mara, Georgia King, Brie Larson, Amy Ferguson, Tom Everett Scott, and Amy Sedaris. It premiered at the Toronto International Film Festival on September 14, 2009, and was later released on September 9, 2011, by Anchor Bay Films.
The film joins other boarding school dramas like “Cracks” and “St. Trinian’s,” but it struggles to stand out. With characters that feel more like clichés than fully developed individuals and a narrative that lacks consistency, “Tanner Hall” fails to carve a unique identity. Interestingly, the story originated as an unmade UPN pilot.
Its release gained attention partly due to Rooney Mara, who plays the role of Fernanda, a thoughtful senior at the New England boarding school Tanner Hall. Fernanda’s life is disrupted by the arrival of Victoria, a childhood friend with a penchant for stirring up trouble. Mara’s casting was particularly notable as she was preparing for her acclaimed role in David Fincher’s adaptation of “The Girl with the Dragon Tattoo.”
Overall, “Tanner Hall” offers a familiar tale of adolescence and friendship but doesn’t significantly distinguish itself within its genre.
Cast director: Francesca Gregorini
Cast actor: Rooney Mara, Georgia King, Brie Larson, Amy Ferguson, Tom Everett Scott, Amy Sedaris, Chris Kattan, Shawn Pyfrom, Ryan Schira, Susan Misner
Original name: Tanner Hall