Blue Car is a 2002 American drama film directed and written by Karen Moncrieff. It was the first film she directed and wrote. The film stars David Strathairn, Agnes Bruckner, Margaret Colin, and Frances Fisher. Blue Car had its world premiere at the 2002 Sundance Film Festival, where it was acquired by Miramax Films. It was given a limited release in North American theaters on May 2, 2003. Plot Meg is a high school senior living in the Dayton, Ohio area. She uses writing as an outlet for her troubled home life, having been abandoned by her father and now neglected by her mother Diane, whose busy work schedule leaves Meg as the babysitter for her younger sister, Lily. The girls' father does not pay child support, causing financial strain for the family. After Meg reads aloud a poem (titled "Blue Car") in her English class, her teacher, Mr. Auster, recognizes her talent and assumes the role of a mentor and father figure for her. He encourages Meg to enter a local poetry competition, which she ends up winning. Mr. Auster recommends she next compete at the national competition in Florida during spring break. Meg's home life worsens when Lily displays increasingly worrying emotional behavior; she cuts herself, refuses to eat, and speaks about becoming an angel. After being checked into the psychiatric ward of a hospital, Lily kills herself by jumping out of an open window as she tries to "fly". A distraught Meg finds solace in Mr. Auster, who reveals he lost a son. During their one-on-one poetry tutoring, she learns he is also writing a novel. When Diane says she does not have the money to pay for her daughter's Florida trip, Meg resorts to stealing. This results in Meg getting fired from her after-school job and her moving out to stay with her friend, Georgia. At Georgia’s place, Meg becomes acquainted with Georgia’s older brother, Pat. When she tells Pat she’s trying to find a way to get to Florida, he offers her a way to make money by stealing prescription drugs. Meg takes up the offer and steals from a pharmacy for him. The following day, Meg discovers that Pat has skipped town with the money. Meg ends up taking a bus by herself to Florida and sleeps on the beach. On the day before the competition, she spots Mr. Auster with his family relaxing