I have always wanted to visit the East Coast of Canada, but somehow this has not happened for me yet. Like every Canadian girl (or in my case, Canadian as of the age of six) I have dreamt of being Anne Shirley and reciting the Lady of Shalott, while laying stricken with inspiration on a bed of rocks caressing the East Coast waters. What Sherry White has inspired of me through her beautiful debut feature film has strengthened this desire to make this a reality in my near future. Shoot, if I could I would pack my suitcase today and ask White to be my personal guide through Newfoundland.

 Yes I know that Anne of Green Gables is set in PEI and Crackie is set in Newfoundland, however there is just something serene and magical that White captures of her native Newfoundland that makes me think if how I enjoy watching Anne and her bosom buddy Diana frolic through nature, similarly to the way Mitsy does. For Mitsy nature is her silent muse to escape her troubles, a place of quiet in her world which is often bombarded with the sound of yelling and confrontation.

Crackie fufills the tradition of great story-telling in its simplest form by mixing emotionally-intelligent directing with outstanding performances. I was touched to reflect on the un-compromising love that Mitsy has for her mother, even if her mother is not fit as a parent. Then there is the way Mitsy's grandmother controls her in hopes of protecting her, yet somehow manages only to damage her granddaughter.

The film shows three generations of women that inherit dysfunctional into everyday life, the witty and sharp-tongued grandmother (Mary Walsh), the lost, self-absorbed and neglectful mother (Cheryl Wells) and the sweet and often neglected adolescent daughter, Mitsy (Meghan Greeley). Mitsy however shows a vulnerability and need to love and be loved far more openly than both her mother and grandmother. This then leads her to form a special bond with a crackie dog named Sparky. Sparky is not enticing and cute like a puppy, in fact he much like these women; a living being that shows wear of scars of the surface as a reminder of suffering endured. Mitsy becomes instantly obsessed with wanting to save Sparky from being put-down by the sleazy, older man that she is sleeping with that works at a local fast food restaurant. She dedicates herself to coddle this dog with patience, attention and love.

It is hard to believe that this is Sherry White's first feature film - she shows the craftsmanship and eye of a seasoned director. Mary Walsh is also a perfect casting, she literally brings an all-encompassing energy to every moment she is on-screen and rightfully shines as one of Canada's premiere talents. Alongside Walsh is a remarkable debut by actors like Greeley and Wells, and esentially what you are left with is a complete package of delight!

The multi-dimensional nature of all these women is what makes this film a thought-provoking and real journey. The complexities of survival, the volatility of placing happiness into the hands of someone who cannot provide an environment for you to be at your best, these are the ideas that bring Crackie to be a sympathetic and heart-touching tale.