We Are the Mods: 3 of 5 stars

Imagine a subculture where the kids think wearing skinny ties and straightened hair and mini skirts is cool, where the preferred mode of transport is a Vespa or some other vintage or new scooter.

That’s the world of E.E. Cassidy’s We Are the Mods, a Southern California coming-of-age melodrama about young people wrapped up in 1960s fashions, the look of The Who and Antonioni’s Blowup.

Sadie (Melia Renee) is the shy photographer with her heart set on leaving home and going to school as far away as she can imagine – some Vermont Institute of Design. Her family isn’t having it.

Until she falls in with Nico (Mary Louise Hayden), a confident, popular young woman with a “monster foot” (caused by Milroy disease) that forces her to use a cane. That doesn’t prevent her from being the most glamorous, exciting thing ever to enter Sadie’s life. Nico lures Sadie into a bright new world of kids, boyfriend Treg (Lance Drake) among them, re-living a little corner of the ‘60s, with ska, sex, drugs and vintage rock’n roll. Nico’s every word to Sadie is a challenge.

“I can’t believe you’re afraid of Betty Crocker” Nico rips, wondering why Sadie doesn’t stand up to Mom.

We Are the Mods is one of those Ghost World takes on a hipster subculture, a film that finds new romance in an age-old movie gesture -- a shared cigarette. The culture is the most novel thing about this love triangle.

Screening at: 2:30 p.m. Sunday, March 29, Regal; 9:45 p.m. Wednesday, April 1, Enzian.