Rating of
3/4
Teller, Woodley Are Spectacular
Chris Kavan - wrote on 08/17/13
There are not enough films that tackle the minefield that is high school with believability. But James Ponsoldt is obviously not one of those people who think that high school equals the best years of our lives (at least not for everyone). What we have is an unflinching look at being a teen who doesn't know where he is going and also finding a connection amidst the chaos.
Miles Teller plays Sutter, one of the two main characters i the film. He is the overly-gregarious, perpetually outgoing senior who takes life one day at a time. He is also a functioning alcoholic as throughout the film he pretty much always has a drink - a beer, a flask, a Big Gulp with a little extra flavor - and although he seems happy, you know in the back of your mind that his idea of living in the now is not going to bode well for his future. At the beginning of the film, he has just been dumped by his girlfriend, Cassidy (Brie Larson) who does so, we learn, because she doesn't see a future with him.
After a night of drinking he passes out and wakes up on the lawn of Aimee. As played by Shailene Woodley, she is the girl who sticks in the background - a bit mousy and a bit of a nerd - but Sutter has a plan to help her out of her shell. At first he's only looking to be friends - she helps tutor him in geometry, he invites her to a party - and introduces her to the wonders of alcohol. After drinking a bit too much - he asks her to prom. His friend Ricky (Masam Holden) warn him that all he is going to end up doing is breaking her heart, but he continues the affair. The two end up sleeping together and make a pact to confront their respective mothers: she about joining her sister and leaving her mother behind, he about the location of his long-absent father.
Probably the most powerful scenes in the film are when the pair finally make a trip to find his father, Tommy. As portrayed by Kyle Chandler, he offers a picture of the way Sutter could easily turn out if he continues along the path of living for the moment rather than the future. When Aimee confronts her mother, she makes a plan to move out of town and join her sister - and she invites Sutter along. The ending of the film doesn't wrap everything up in a nice bow - in fact, it leaves a huge question looming about the future of both of our young stars.
This movie succeeds because the two leads, Teller and Woodley, are simply fantastic. They one an award at Sundance for their performances and, although I think it is an outside chance, I would say that come Oscar time, they shouldn't be overlooked either. Both roles feel very real - Woodley plays things both awkward and giggly - just like an actual high school girl who has been asked out by the someone out of her league and Teller has just enough swagger to come across, not quite cocky, but at least sure of himself (even if it is a front.) Supporting case from Chandler, Jennifer Jason Leigh (as Sutter's mom) and Mary Elizabeth Winstead (as Sutter's sister) - along with Larson, Holden and Dayo Okeniyi (as Larson's new lover interest) are also good. Rounding out the cast are Bob Odenkirk (as Sutter's boss at the clothing store) and Andre Royo (as his put-upon geometry teacher). Each person has at least one standout scene that makes a big impact - whether it is Odenkirk giving him an ultimatum about drinking on the job, Leigh talking to him about visiting his father or Royo trying to encourage him to make grades in order to graduate - the adults in his life want him to succeed - they just don't know how to push him in the right direction.
In the end this joins Perks of Being a Wallflower as an excellent look into teen life that deals with some very real issues. If you're looking for a feel-good movie, however, this one will leave you hanging. Although there are some lighthearted moments, for the most part it takes things very seriously and is a bit bleak on the outlook of things. But the thing is, life isn't always rosy - especially in high school - and too often films take the easy road with teens. This one does not and it's worth your time to get such a reality check.
