Augusta, Gone
Encyclopedia
Augusta, Gone is a 2006 Lifetime Television
film directed by Tim Matheson
and starring Mika Boorem
, Sharon Lawrence
and Tamara Hope
. It is based on the memoir of the same name by Martha Tod Dudman.
The film was shot in Victoria, British Columbia
.
from Augusta (Mika Boorem
)'s mother Martha, in which she states that her daughter was once a sweet girl who had the ability to paint beautiful pictures and loved everybody. In fact, later on in the film, Augusta is described as a 'strong, creative, kind and magnificent person' by her mother. This description is in dissonance to the state in which Augusta's parents find their daughter at a local party. Her parents realize that they need to take drastic and immediate action when they find Augusta in a drug-induced euphoric state. The problem is, however, the are unsure as to how to proceed. Upon their arrival at home, Augusta seems contrite and willing to make amends. However, her mood abruptly switches when Martha attempts to address the situation. When an explosive fight ensues, culminating in Augusta pointing a butcher knife
at her parents and later at herself, screaming in a threatening manner: "It's my life! It's my life!"
The movie then cuts to one year earlier with a 14-year-old Augusta worrying about her weight and what her classmates think of her. Owing to the camera angles, it appears that Augusta has a significantly distorted view of herself and is exceptionally dissatisfied with the image that she sees in the mirror. On face value, Augusta appears to be a good-spirited young artist who is slightly perturbed by the fact that although her mother is speaking to her, her mother fails to notice "how fat" her daughter has become. Martha (Sharon Lawrence
) is a divorced businesswoman who appears to have had a good relationship with her daughter.
Underneath the surface, Augusta is very insecure and despises herself. For example, she is overly concerned with her weight and strives to perform well in school. She becomes very anxious when she does not attain perfection and worries about receiving excellent grades in school. Augusta's life becomes complicated and takes a turn for the worse when she becomes friends with Rain (Tamara Hope
), the local "bad girl". Augusta then attempts to impress Rain by doing stuff that she would not otherwise do, such as smoking cigarettes. Augusta then adopts a blasé attitude towards her schoolwork, her family, her old friends and her own well-being. Her self-destructive ways cause her life to spiral out of control.
Augusta begins to accept Rain's bad habits and makes a drastic change in her once predictable, sensible and normative life. She begins sneaking out at night, using drugs
, shoplifting
, skipping school, and disrespecting authority. Martha begins to notice the extreme changes in her daughter's behavior and is at a loss at how to help get Augusta back on track. When Augusta calls her mother at work in a state of panic after a drug-laden night, Martha fears for Augusta's safety. Unfortunately, Augusta, hostile, rejects any form of assistance and insists that she had a cold, and all that she had taken was some medication.
At one point in the film, Augusta screams at her mother to give up on her. It is apparent that Martha is not prepared to turn her back on Augusta. With nowhere to turn, Martha goes to a counselor
for help. Augusta is quick to dismiss any intervention
that her mother makes. The counselor tells Martha that in order to be saved, Augusta must attend a rehabilitation center
for teens. Hesitant at first, Martha finally agrees.
Martha's pain is exacerbated because Mother's Day
is the agreed upon date for Augusta's departure. The police find Augusta, and she is sent to the rehabilitation center. During the transfer Augusta angrily tells her mother that she hates her, and that she is dead to her. Martha is left in tears.
During the program Augusta meets Bridget, a young girl who discloses to Augusta that she was rape
d by her father's best friend. They become closer when Bridget convinces Augusta to stop cutting herself. Throughout rehab, Augusta begins to appreciate the consequences of her misbehavior. At the end, Augusta seems to have changed, but the counselors don't think that she has been fully rehabilitated. Against Augusta's will, she is sent with Bridget to a special school for juvenile delinquents.
At the school, Augusta meets a counselor who finally is able to reach her. She sits down with her parents, confesses what she has done and asks for forgiveness. She lists all the drugs that she has tried and even discloses that she felt suicidal at times. Although her parents are shocked, they are relieved that Augusta has become more open and coherent about her lifestyle.
Martha accepts and assures Augusta that she will always be loved and that she will never give up on her. The counselor lets Augusta spend time with her parents only if she promises not to run away. What finally gets Augusta to change her ways and realize how good she really has it is seeing Bridget, who has nothing to return to, die of a drug overdose
.
After the traumatic
experience, Augusta, who feels she is successfully rehabilitated, runs away from the program and gets in touch with her mother and asks to go home. Martha agrees but only if Augusta promises to reform. Augusta promises, and gets a bus home. Martha meets her at the bus stop, and mother and daughter embrace.
It is after this embrace when the real Martha and Augusta are seen smiling into the camera.
format, with Dutch subtitles.
Lifetime Television
Lifetime Television, often referred to as Lifetime TV, or most commonly, Lifetime, is an American cable television specialty channel devoted to movies, sitcoms and dramas, all of which are either geared toward women or feature women in lead roles. The cable network is owned by A&E Television Networks...
film directed by Tim Matheson
Tim Matheson
Tim Matheson is an American actor, director and producer. He is perhaps best known for his portrayal of the smooth-talking Eric 'Otter' Stratton in the 1978 comedy National Lampoon's Animal House and has had a variety of other well-known roles, including providing the voice of the lead character...
and starring Mika Boorem
Mika Boorem
Mika Sue Boorem is an American actress who has appeared in the films Blue Crush , Carolina , Sleepover , and Smile ....
, Sharon Lawrence
Sharon Lawrence
Sharon Elizabeth Lawrence is an American television actress. She is best known for the role of Sylvia Costas Sipowicz in the Television series NYPD Blue...
and Tamara Hope
Tamara Hope
Tamara Hope is a Canadian actress. Her starring roles include Guinevere Jones and The Nickel Children, a film about teenage prostitution, as well as a recurring role on CTV's Whistler as Leah McLure....
. It is based on the memoir of the same name by Martha Tod Dudman.
The film was shot in Victoria, British Columbia
Victoria, British Columbia
Victoria is the capital city of British Columbia, Canada and is located on the southern tip of Vancouver Island off Canada's Pacific coast. The city has a population of about 78,000 within the metropolitan area of Greater Victoria, which has a population of 360,063, the 15th most populous Canadian...
.
Plot
The film dramatically opens with a voice-overVoice-over
Voice-over is a production technique where a voice which is not part of the narrative is used in a radio, television production, filmmaking, theatre, or other presentations...
from Augusta (Mika Boorem
Mika Boorem
Mika Sue Boorem is an American actress who has appeared in the films Blue Crush , Carolina , Sleepover , and Smile ....
)'s mother Martha, in which she states that her daughter was once a sweet girl who had the ability to paint beautiful pictures and loved everybody. In fact, later on in the film, Augusta is described as a 'strong, creative, kind and magnificent person' by her mother. This description is in dissonance to the state in which Augusta's parents find their daughter at a local party. Her parents realize that they need to take drastic and immediate action when they find Augusta in a drug-induced euphoric state. The problem is, however, the are unsure as to how to proceed. Upon their arrival at home, Augusta seems contrite and willing to make amends. However, her mood abruptly switches when Martha attempts to address the situation. When an explosive fight ensues, culminating in Augusta pointing a butcher knife
Butcher knife
A butcher knife is a knife designed and used primarily for the butchering and/or dressing of animals.During the late 18th century to mid 1840s, the butcher knife was a key tool for mountain men. Simple, useful and cheap to produce, they were used for everything from skinning beaver, cutting food,...
at her parents and later at herself, screaming in a threatening manner: "It's my life! It's my life!"
The movie then cuts to one year earlier with a 14-year-old Augusta worrying about her weight and what her classmates think of her. Owing to the camera angles, it appears that Augusta has a significantly distorted view of herself and is exceptionally dissatisfied with the image that she sees in the mirror. On face value, Augusta appears to be a good-spirited young artist who is slightly perturbed by the fact that although her mother is speaking to her, her mother fails to notice "how fat" her daughter has become. Martha (Sharon Lawrence
Sharon Lawrence
Sharon Elizabeth Lawrence is an American television actress. She is best known for the role of Sylvia Costas Sipowicz in the Television series NYPD Blue...
) is a divorced businesswoman who appears to have had a good relationship with her daughter.
Underneath the surface, Augusta is very insecure and despises herself. For example, she is overly concerned with her weight and strives to perform well in school. She becomes very anxious when she does not attain perfection and worries about receiving excellent grades in school. Augusta's life becomes complicated and takes a turn for the worse when she becomes friends with Rain (Tamara Hope
Tamara Hope
Tamara Hope is a Canadian actress. Her starring roles include Guinevere Jones and The Nickel Children, a film about teenage prostitution, as well as a recurring role on CTV's Whistler as Leah McLure....
), the local "bad girl". Augusta then attempts to impress Rain by doing stuff that she would not otherwise do, such as smoking cigarettes. Augusta then adopts a blasé attitude towards her schoolwork, her family, her old friends and her own well-being. Her self-destructive ways cause her life to spiral out of control.
Augusta begins to accept Rain's bad habits and makes a drastic change in her once predictable, sensible and normative life. She begins sneaking out at night, using drugs
DRUGS
Destroy Rebuild Until God Shows are an American post-hardcore band formed in 2010. They released their debut self-titled album on February 22, 2011.- Formation :...
, shoplifting
Shoplifting
Shoplifting is theft of goods from a retail establishment. It is one of the most common property crimes dealt with by police and courts....
, skipping school, and disrespecting authority. Martha begins to notice the extreme changes in her daughter's behavior and is at a loss at how to help get Augusta back on track. When Augusta calls her mother at work in a state of panic after a drug-laden night, Martha fears for Augusta's safety. Unfortunately, Augusta, hostile, rejects any form of assistance and insists that she had a cold, and all that she had taken was some medication.
At one point in the film, Augusta screams at her mother to give up on her. It is apparent that Martha is not prepared to turn her back on Augusta. With nowhere to turn, Martha goes to a counselor
Licensed Professional Counselor
Licensed professional counselor is a licensure for mental health professionals. The exact title varies by state, but the other most frequently used title is licensed mental health counselor . Several U.S. states, including Illinois, Maine, and Tennessee, have implemented a two-tier system whereby...
for help. Augusta is quick to dismiss any intervention
Intervention
Intervention may refer to:* Interventionism ** Humanitarian intervention, an attempt to reduce suffering within a state through armed conflict** Entente intervention in the Russian Civil War at 1918-1925** Invasion or military offensive...
that her mother makes. The counselor tells Martha that in order to be saved, Augusta must attend a rehabilitation center
Drug rehabilitation
Drug rehabilitation is a term for the processes of medical or psychotherapeutic treatment, for dependency on psychoactive substances such as alcohol, prescription drugs, and so-called street drugs such as cocaine, heroin or amphetamines...
for teens. Hesitant at first, Martha finally agrees.
Martha's pain is exacerbated because Mother's Day
Mother's Day
Mother's Day is a celebration honoring mothers and celebrating motherhood, maternal bonds, and the influence of mothers in society. It is celebrated on various days in many parts of the world, yet most commonly in March, April, or May...
is the agreed upon date for Augusta's departure. The police find Augusta, and she is sent to the rehabilitation center. During the transfer Augusta angrily tells her mother that she hates her, and that she is dead to her. Martha is left in tears.
During the program Augusta meets Bridget, a young girl who discloses to Augusta that she was rape
Rape
Rape is a type of sexual assault usually involving sexual intercourse, which is initiated by one or more persons against another person without that person's consent. The act may be carried out by physical force, coercion, abuse of authority or with a person who is incapable of valid consent. The...
d by her father's best friend. They become closer when Bridget convinces Augusta to stop cutting herself. Throughout rehab, Augusta begins to appreciate the consequences of her misbehavior. At the end, Augusta seems to have changed, but the counselors don't think that she has been fully rehabilitated. Against Augusta's will, she is sent with Bridget to a special school for juvenile delinquents.
At the school, Augusta meets a counselor who finally is able to reach her. She sits down with her parents, confesses what she has done and asks for forgiveness. She lists all the drugs that she has tried and even discloses that she felt suicidal at times. Although her parents are shocked, they are relieved that Augusta has become more open and coherent about her lifestyle.
Martha accepts and assures Augusta that she will always be loved and that she will never give up on her. The counselor lets Augusta spend time with her parents only if she promises not to run away. What finally gets Augusta to change her ways and realize how good she really has it is seeing Bridget, who has nothing to return to, die of a drug overdose
Drug overdose
The term drug overdose describes the ingestion or application of a drug or other substance in quantities greater than are recommended or generally practiced...
.
After the traumatic
Psychological trauma
Psychological trauma is a type of damage to the psyche that occurs as a result of a traumatic event...
experience, Augusta, who feels she is successfully rehabilitated, runs away from the program and gets in touch with her mother and asks to go home. Martha agrees but only if Augusta promises to reform. Augusta promises, and gets a bus home. Martha meets her at the bus stop, and mother and daughter embrace.
It is after this embrace when the real Martha and Augusta are seen smiling into the camera.
Cast
- Sharon LawrenceSharon LawrenceSharon Elizabeth Lawrence is an American television actress. She is best known for the role of Sylvia Costas Sipowicz in the Television series NYPD Blue...
as Martha Tod Dudman - Tim MathesonTim MathesonTim Matheson is an American actor, director and producer. He is perhaps best known for his portrayal of the smooth-talking Eric 'Otter' Stratton in the 1978 comedy National Lampoon's Animal House and has had a variety of other well-known roles, including providing the voice of the lead character...
as Ben Dudman - Mika BooremMika BooremMika Sue Boorem is an American actress who has appeared in the films Blue Crush , Carolina , Sleepover , and Smile ....
as Augusta Dudman - Tamara HopeTamara HopeTamara Hope is a Canadian actress. Her starring roles include Guinevere Jones and The Nickel Children, a film about teenage prostitution, as well as a recurring role on CTV's Whistler as Leah McLure....
as Rain - Katie StuartKatie StuartKatherine Anne "Katie" Stuart is a Canadian actress who has appeared in over 15 movies, ranging from the obscure to the more well-known . She has guest-starred on numerous television shows as well as appearing in the television movie A Wrinkle in Time.Stuart was born in Vancouver, British...
as Bridget - Sage Testini as Jack Dudman
- Currie Graham as John
- Gabrielle Rose as Rose
- Andrea Whitburn as Daisy
- Giacomo Baessato as Bennett
- Jaren Brandt Bartlett as Vincent
- Patricia Dahlquist as Lillian
Awards
Augusta, Gone was nominated for two Prism Awards, one for Tamara Hope (Performance in a TV-Movie) and the other for Sharon Lawrence (Performance in a TV-Movie).DVD
The film was released on Region 2 DVD on August 8, 2007, in WidescreenWidescreen
Widescreen images are a variety of aspect ratios used in film, television and computer screens. In film, a widescreen film is any film image with a width-to-height aspect ratio greater than the standard 1.37:1 Academy aspect ratio provided by 35mm film....
format, with Dutch subtitles.