The We and the I

After a stint in Hollywood with the big budget “Green Hornet,” director Michel Gondry keeps it simple and returns to low budget fare in ‘The We and the I,” a film that follows a group of Bronx high schoolers on their bus ride home on the last day of school.

Inspired by and starring a group of teenagers from the Bronx community center, “Point,” Gondry plays with the plights of youth and charms with adolescent truths.
He’s not telling a story but capturing a moment in time. He reminds us how it feels to be young, mocked, confused, not in style, the mini melodramas and the constant battle of fitting in or being yourself. It’s convincing, sweet, simple and nostalgic.

Like “The Green Hornet,” Gondry slices in some of his coined visual effects, but they are minimal and confined to the opening credits.

I would love to see Gondry tackle another film along the lines of “Human Nature,” but I don’t think I can count on it anytime soon. Gondry keeps himself varied, and flits about, taking on blockbusters, music videos and documentaries. I like to think he’s challenging himself to try something new, which I respect, but I can’t help but miss the charm and fantasy of some of his earlier work.