The Road Just Rolls Out Behind Me: Mandy Moore "Extraordinary"

Mandy Moore "Extraordinary"
dir. by Ace Norton
Pop star Moore attempts to tweak her image by hiring indie-ish director Norton to give her the "down-to-earth" treatment. Though in order to make Ms. Moore a more likeable and relatable star, the director puts her up in the clouds - piling numerous versions of the the A Walk to Remember star up towards the sun. There's actually a considerable lack of sunlight in this gloomy town that Moore rises above, and perhaps her various talents will bring new warmth to the city once she jumps into her dreams - but the lackluster sky remains until the very end.

What is clear is Moore's attempt to juggle numerous personalities, skills and appearances at once - even if none of them ever represented who she truly was. She realizes this at the conclusion, once she has built a tower of pressures and obligations beneath her. She floats down feeling weightless and free for the first time - apparently no longer tied to concerns of popular image, and ready to display her true "extraordinary" quality.