A Neo Nazi meets a black girl who calls herself Hitler in a mental institution and they fall in love. In the typical biracial love story, a person of one ethnic background falls in love with a person of another ethnicity and the former works to be accepted and fit in with the friends and family of the latter. In Neo Ned, two people of different ethnic backgrounds are placed together in the same environment for the thing they have in common: their psychoses. This story is not about race as it's summary may imply. This is a story about a boy named Ned who didn't receive the love and support he needed as a kid. He gets mixed up with a group of young Neo Nazis, and becomes a resident at a mental institute after being an accomplice in the murder of a black man. While his doctor tries to make Ned realize his childhood may have had some bearing on his current situation, Ned feels there is no connection. Ned isn't quite sure why he behaves the way he does or why he says what he says. But when he meets Rachel at the hospital, Ned begins to question whether his words have any meaning at all.
Regardless of the topic, this film is surprisingly lighthearted. It doesn't take long to realize that Ned isn't the man he labels himself to be. Although immature and irrational, he is sensitive and charmingly optimistic. We accept him as all the characters in the film accept him. When the guard, played by Ethan Suplee, hears Ned say horrible things to Rachel, he rolls his eyes, sighs, and continues his paperwork, letting us know that he doesn't take Ned's racial comments seriously and neither should we.
When Rachel helps Ned to realize his Nazi persona is unsubstantial, they become fast friends and begin an adventure of life in the outside world. But when they realize they are both in the wrong place at the wrong time, they must work together to get back to a home where they belong, but this time with new appreciation of the lives they were meant to live.
This unique and happy tale ends before you're ready to say goodbye. Jeremy Renner's performance won him best actor at the Palm Beach International Film Festival, and this screenplay came in fourth place at Slamdance and won for best screenplay in the San Diego Film festival. For something a little different, check out this emotionally dark romantic comedy written by Tim Boughn and directed by Van Fischer.
