It’s an uncomfortable feeling when you know something bad is going to happen and you can’t do anything to stop it.

In Writer/Director Karen Moncrieff’s debut feature film “Blue Car,” this uncomfortable feeling grows as you watch her two main characters dance dangerously closer to psychological trauma and social taboo.

The film explores the angsty world of Meg (Agnes Bruckner), a gifted student who is haunted by her father’s abandonment of her family, her mother Diane’s (Margaret Colin) stressed-out neglect and an unending series of latchkey episodes from her emotionally disturbed younger sister Lily.

In this twisted midwestern nightmare, Meg finds escape her creative writing. Her English teacher Mr. Auster (David Strathairn) encourages her to develop her talent by pushing her to enter a national poetry contest he judges and working with her to “go deeper” to create more honest work.

The dynamic student-teacher relationship between Meg and Mr. Auster becomes more and more complex throughout the course of the film while Meg struggles to find a way to get from Ohio to Florida to participate in the poetry finals.

Newcomer Bruckner delivers an unforgettable performance as the tormented Meg. Her most prominent role to date before this was as the girlfriend in “Murder by Numbers,” which only hinted at the powerful emotions she’s able to convey.

Here, her portrayal shines light on a young woman who’s caught between childhood and adulthood, struggling to find both her creative voice, sexual individuality and personal identity all while maintaining a sense of moral and family responsibility.

Strathairn (“Dolores Claiborne,” “LA Confidential”) gives a dark and masterful performance, brilliantly bringing out the complexities of Auster’s dual hero/villain character.

Sometimes the film meanders a bit and loses its focus, but overall it succeeds as an intimate drama with stellar performances not soon forgotten.

“Blue Car” is rated R for (highly uncomfortable) sexual content and language.