Canada's Alberta is the setting and the year is 1987. As Robin (Vaughan Murrae) knows they will be asked "Are you a boy or a girl?," on their first day at a new school, she is filled with anxiety.Given that Robin breaks conventional gender norms, Carter (Dominic Lippa), a young man who spends most of his time getting into or causing problems, is immediately intrigued by their appearance. However, Robin is also intrigued by Carter and spends time developing a new, deep friendship with him, even though Carter's earlier desire may have been satirical. Meanwhile, the girls surrounding Robin find them impossible to pigeonhole, much to their frustration, but one, Izzy (Lacey Oake), sees an opportunity for experimentation. However, Izzy has also caught Carter’s eye, and an uneasy early teenage love triangle soon develops that is less about gender or sexuality and more about one simple question, “Who Am I?
Before I Change My Mind is hilarious and one of the most distinctive coming-of-age comedies of recent years, so anyone expecting a somber drama from Canadian filmmaker Trevor Anderson should immediately go. Here, we are treated to an abundance of 80s clichés, a deliciously bizarre school musical named "Mary Magdalene: Video Star," a drag queen who is enamored with Madonna, and grownups who are equally clueless about the world as the children under their care. A very skilled low-budget comedy, Before I Change My Mind finds its own distinct humorous voice while simultaneously honoring the works of John Hughes, Todd Solondz, Greta Gerwig, and Amy Heckerling. Beneath the humor, though, Anderson's movie gives us so much more.
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Historically the coming-of-age genre has been defined by gender, from male journeys in films ranging from Stand By Me to Catholic Boys to female stories in movies such as Now and Then and Booksmart. However, Anderson never mentions Robin’s pronouns or discusses how Robin wishes to identify. Robin is just Robin. Equally, there are no direct discussions on sexuality using pre-determined social labels. In Anderson’s world, we are offered a group of young people finding their likes, dislikes, emotions and desires without ever needing to label themselves. Here Anderson reflects on a brief moment during the coming-of-age process when kids are free from social labels and pressures. This short but joyous moment often comes at the start of adolescence, in the void between the child and the teen, when experimentation is usually free from guilt and adult interference. Anderson explores the slow erosion of that freedom through Robin, Carter and Izzy’s journey. However, it’s here where Before I Change My Mind occasionally stumbles.
The big question is, do these stumbles distract from Anderson’s hilarious and often artistically brave gender-free coming-of-age tale? While Anderson’s movie needed a bit more time to fully embrace the journey of Robin, Carter and Izzy, Before I Change My Mind is a Canadian coming-of-age gem. Here the outstanding lead performance of Vaughan Murrae and their fellow teen co-stars makes Before I Change My Mind a fascinating, hilarious and thoughtful exploration of early teenage experiences. As the credits roll, I guarantee you won’t want to leave 80s Alberta or the lovingly crafted characters Anderson creates. But you will be equally thankful for the joyous 1hr and 29 minutes spent in a teenage world where labels are for packaging, not people.
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