AllMovie

Tart, a straightforward depiction of self-possessed, spoiled teens, is the best argument yet for getting an after-school job in the late high school years. Like Larry Clark's Kids, the film is told in realistic scenes that sometimes are uncomfortably close to the truth, but without Clark's near-documentary feel. Dominique Swain has mastered the vapid, self-possessed character (see also Dead in the Water) very early in her career, but her act grows weary quickly in this one. Tart -- the title and box are supposed to make you think something far more lascivious than what actually goes on -- isn't terrible; in fact, the effortless acting is quite impressive. It's just that there's a moral crying out to be made, but writer/director Christina Wayne backs away from actually making a judgment. You never feel bad for these kids. In fact, "Brats" would have been a more appropriate title.