The Edge of Seventeen Funny Moments
An emotional rollercoaster for loners of any age
Though this film fits the coming of age genre the struggles that Nadine, the main character, is going through are not purely 'teen problems', As a 20 something year old this film deeply resonated with me and though similar to Nadine I was a socially awkward, defensive and pessimistic teenager it wasn't just the teenage me who could find the character relatable. I've noticed in the low rated comments one of the main reasons people didn't like the film is because the main character isn't likeable. And though I loved the film, I would agree; she isn't likeable. And the film is more realistic and better off for it. In real life we aren't always likeable people ourselves and the film almost acts as a tool to allow us to step back and really look at our current or teenage selves. Nadine does realise and understand towards the end and throughout the film her erratic and selfish behaviour is a result of her self loathing because she knows she doesn't want to continue being that way but she's stuck in this endless cycle and doesn't know how to get out. The valuable lesson from the film and her journey within it is that we often bring misfortune and unhappiness on ourselves in the way we handle and respond to bad things in our lives.
I think this film will speak to anyone who has felt alone in the world, lost without purpose or anywhere to fit in. If you like films about people rather than action and you watch a film to be taken on a journey (albeit an emotional one) rather than to have an enjoyable couple of hours then this may be the film for you. It helps that is has an excellent cast, each actor fitting their roles well and bringing them to life.
Another positive note I took away from the film is the way it handles and represents mental illness/ distress as it does so without labels and in a subtle way without needing to bring it to the forefront.
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funny
Nadine (Hailee Steinfeld) loved her father and battled with her mother (Kyra Sedgwick). At 13, she lost her father. Her life is one of miserable sarcasm except for her best friend since second grade, Krista (Haley Lu Richardson). She hates her perfect brother Darian (Blake Jenner). Dorky Erwin Kim has a crush on her but she's in lust with delinquent Nick Mossman. To her horrors, Krista starts dating Darian. The only person she could turn to is equally sarcastic teacher Mr. Bruner (Woody Harrelson).
It's funny. It's touching. It's poignant. There are no superficial characters in the main group. The jokes are great. Everybody's great. Woody is a real standout. The only drawback I can remotely dig up is that Hailee Steinfeld is too pretty. She follows a long line of Hollywood beauties who dress down to do 'She's All That'. The Pedro joke is hilarious which helps a lot. However, she's never going to be Danny DeVito level. The reason it works so well is a terrific performance from Hailee. She really sells this self-obsessed bitter teen while maintaining a great likability. One roots for her and sees the world from her eyes even as everyone knows that she's wrong. Hailee shows some terrific acting talents once again.
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Fresh, Endearing, and Funny
I can't say that I expected to see this movie opening weekend, or at all for that matter. But I'm glad I did. The Edge of Seventeen is an awkwardly charming coming of age tale that flirts in the same vein as some classic John Hughes 80's flicks.
I think all of us have been keeping an eye on Hailee Steinfeld since True Grit in 2010. When you can steal scenery from the likes of Jeff Bridges, Matt Damon, and Josh Brolin, you know you have someone special. The Edge of Seventeen is an entirely different genre and obstacle for Steinfeld, however. I almost think that the coming-of- age-teenage-angst-comedy-drama's are the most difficult films to reach a broad audience, perhaps even more so than westerns. I usually need something to hook me before I spend money on one of these, and that came by way of Woody Harrelson.
Harrelson play's Steinfeld's teacher and common companion at lunch when there's no one else to sit with. The brilliant thing about this relationship is that its neither too dramatic nor too goofy, the writers find a nice balance between gut busting laughs on Harrelson's end to a nice dramatic payoff in the latter half. For all the clichés that this film inevitably has, this relationship was something very refreshing and served as the highlights for most of the film.
Nadine (Steinfeld) has several issues with her mother, brother, and best friend to figure out throughout the course of the film. But it was pleasing to see that the writers didn't choose to make any one character in the right or wrong. I constantly felt like I was playing out both sides in my head as to who I believe had the right to be mad at the other or vice versa. Being in a family of 7, I can definitely relate to some of the family obstacles Nadine goes through, and it wasn't Hollywoodized just for the sake of pushing the plot forward. There's unfortunately quite a few clichéd tropes that this film ends up taking you toward, but it felt more natural than most of these types of films. This could be attributed to the welcomed R rating the film received.
It isn't for everyone, and I wouldn't even consider myself the target audience. But it speaks to larger personal and family issues than the trailer sets up. It's also one of the best Woody Harrelson performances I've seen recently, even if he is probably as reserved as he's ever been.
+Steinfeld carries this film
+With the help of the hilarious Harrelson
+Writing
-Inevitably some clichés and predictable plot points
8.0/10
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What 'Lady bird' wanted to be.
I've spent a lot of time over the years trying to figure out the humor I like and movies like this pin it down for me. I like awkward humor. Nadine is all kinds of awkward and that's what makes her relatable and adorable. You empathize with her and the problems she's going through, and through the eyes of an adult, of course you laugh at how overdramatic she is, but in a FUNNY way. It makes for some comedic relief between her and her teacher delightfully played Woody Harrelson, who just ignores her neuroses. What makes the film a pleasant experience is the way she is played by Hailee Steinfeld. There's a few minutes here and there where they venture into 'I will punch you' category, but nowhere near the insufferable 'lady bird' I had to turn off after ten minutes. Definitely a recommended film for those who empathize with growing pains.
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So Relatable
The Edge of Seventeen is a movie I stumbled upon. I did not know what to watch next and saw this movie available to stream. Once I started watching I absolutely fell in love with this movie. It's a coming of age story that could not be more real about the life of a teenager. The movie is awkward, funny, sad, frustrating, and emotional, and that's exactly what being a teenager is. Hailee Steinfeld perfectly plays a character that I've seen has been labeled unlikable. I read other reviews and some just say that "she is unlikeable and thinks she's way hotter and funnier than she really is." And that's absolutely right, her character, Nadine spends most of the movie not knowing why she feels so frustrated. She just is. And me being a teenager myself I know that is absolutely accurate. Sometimes I just feel angry because I do, and sometimes I'm really anxious and awkward without wanting to. This is the first movie in which I have really seen myself reflected onscreen. The main character is a teenage girl, but this movie is so greatly written that it isn't only relatable to girls but to all teenagers in general like it happened to me being a guy. The whole arc the character goes through is not about her changing everything about herself, but about recognizing that everyone has problems and everyone feels all of those emotions she feels. The dialogue was perfectly written, it reflected everything about being this age. The performances were amazing, Hailee Steinfeld is a really talented actress. I was genuinely surprised about how great this movie was. It's such a relatable and heartwarming story that at times may feel a little irritable or all over the place, but that's just what being a teen is.
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Watch it for Hailee Steinfeld's performance
"The Edge of Seventeen" (2016 release; 104 min.) brings the story of Nadine, a 17 yr. old junior at Lakewood HS. As the movie opens, Nadine is racing the school's hallways to meet with her favorite teacher and tell him "I'm going to kill myself!" The movie then goes back in time to see how we get to this point. After a short look at "Nadine, Age 7" and "Nadine, age 13", where we learn how socially awkward things are for Nadine, but for her strong friendship with her BFF Krista. That brings us to "Nadine, 17". At this point we're less than 15 min. into the movie, but to tell you more of the plot would spoil your viewing experience, you'll just have to see for yourself how it all plays out.
Couple of comments: this movie is the directing debut for writer Kelly Fremon Craig (who wrote 2009's "Post Grad"). Here, Craig takes another shot at bringing the social awkwardness of being in high school and trying to survive all of the pressures that come with it. When was the last time that I've seen such an awkward teenager, who blurts out "I'm seeing myself and I can't stand it. I gotta spend the rest of my life with myself!". So nothing original here as such, except of course that Nadine is played by none other than Hailee Steinfeld, yes the little girl who was nominated of an Oscar in 2010 for "True Grit" is now grown up into a wonderful young lady which bunches of acting talent. Steinfeld basically carries the movie on her back, and is in virtually every single scene. There is some terrific support from Kyra Sedwick as Nadine's mom and Woody Harrelson as Nadine's teacher, but believe me when I say this is all about Hailee Steinfeld. Last but not least, the movie has a TON of great songs in it (check out the soundtrack).
"The Edge of Seventeen" opened nationally this past weekend. The Sunday early evening screening where I saw this at was attended okay but not great (about 10 people in the entire theater). This movie has not gotten a big marketing push, and it remains to be seen whether it will benefit from strong word-of-mouth. I quite enjoyed it for what it was, a strong vehicle for leading actress Hailee Steinfeld, even if the territory she explores here has been done before and doesn't offer all that much new. If you get a chance to check it out, be it in the theater, on VOD, or eventually on DVD/Blu-ray, I'd suggest you do and draw your own conclusion.
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Really? I mean, really?
Warning: Spoilers
17-year old Nadine has felt out of place since she was small. When her best friend since childhood, Krista, takes up with her hated older brother Darian, Nadine feels even more isolated than usual, and her Drama Queen antics lead in an even more negative direction than usual.
Hailee Steinfeld plays Nadine, and I have rather liked this young woman's performances since she first exploded in the Coen Brothers' True Grit. In this movie, she plays Nadine brilliantly.
The trouble is that Nadine is not very likeable and not very believable. She actually has quite a nice life, being well provided for by her single-parent mother, and also enjoying the fact that her brother takes on various parental roles, notwithstanding normal sibling antagonism.
So when she utterly selfishly forces her best friend to make the choice of her brother or her, she loses any audience sympathy she may have had, and it wasn't much to start with. And the sequence where she accidentally sends a sexually explicit text to a boy she fancies, goes out with him when he responds, and is then horrified when he expects her to deliver on the text - well, words failed me, notwithstanding "No" means "no.".
Perhaps it's an accurate reflection of teenage angst, but it's quite different to the teenage angst I went through.
And the resolution of the film was glib beyond belief - here is a youngster, who on the basis of what the film shows us, has been somewhat socially inept, or worse, since childhood, and all of a sudden she develops a sunny disposition towards others simply because of some home truths and a new friendship? I don't buy it. She should be in counselling.
If it's not obvious, let me spell it out: the trailer sells this as a teen comedy, but it's not. It's a character-driven drama, albeit with some amusing moments. A slight and everyday drama, to be sure, but a drama nevertheless. The trailer deceives.
It's not all negative. As well as Steinfeld's undoubted skill in selling her character, the film also benefits from Woody Harrelson as a humorously cynical teacher, and the luminously lovely Haley Lu Richardson as Krista, some decent support work among the rest of the cast, and sufficient interest in the characters to keep your attention throughout.
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Authentic, But Not Necessarily Always Entertaining
Warning: Spoilers
Much of the positive buzz about "The Edge of Seventeen" came from positive comparisons to films like "The Breakfast Club" or "16 Candles". As I'm always up for movies that describe the emotional state of the teen years (provided they aren't gross-out/sex comedies...I don't care for those all that much), and am a big fan of Hailee Steinfeld, I decided to give this one a try. What I found is that while the film is most certainly authentic (i.e. seems to be true to what teens go through these days), I can't say it was really all that entertaining either. It just lacked that emotional investment towards the characters that one needs to truly fall in love with a film.
For a basic plot summary, "Edge of Seventeen" tells the story of Nadine (Steinfeld), a teen girl who doesn't fit in with anyone in her school. The only way she wards off utter depression is that best friend Krista (Haley Lu Richardson) always has her back and teacher Mr. Bruner (Woody Harrelson) proves to be a great sounding board for her problems. Things don't get much better at home, as Krista resents her super-popular brother Darian (Blake Jenner) and mother Mona (Kyra Sedgwick) struggles to function after the death of her husband. A chain of complicated events/emotions is put into play when Krista and Darian become a pair, prompting Nadine to really examine many different aspects of her life.
First and foremost when evaluating "Edge of Seventeen" is the fact that this movie is completely and utterly carried by Steinfeld. She is a true acting talent (and has proved as much in previous films like "True Grit" and "Pitch Perfect 2") and dare I say without her presence this film may have been a complete dog. Even when the beats seem predictable or the acting isn't up to the highest standards, Steinfeld can carry both the light-hearted and emotional scenes. The only times I was emotionally invested in this film whatsoever were when she was front and center.
Unfortunately, there are just too many other problems that plague this movie to really give it anything higher than a middling rating. For example...
-Richardson's Krista looks like she is going to be a great character...but then is basically abandoned about halfway through the film.
-Blake Jenner is cast perfect for his role in terms of physical appearance and stature, but I felt that perhaps his acting chops weren't what was needed for the part. I won't go so far as to call him a "poor actor", but a big part of family dynamics on the film center on him, and I was wholly underwhelmed when that was the case.
-After the first 30-40 minutes (in which I was quite engaged), the rest of the way felt rather predictable and uninspiring. In other words, the setup was far, far better than the resolution.
I realize that it is perhaps difficult for me (as an over-30 male) to fully identify with this movie, but I wasn't a teen in the 80s either and I still love "Breakfast Club". What that movie had that this one lacked was a such of dramatic flair, not being afraid to really break down what was going on in the minds of the characters. I feel like in "Edge of Seventeen", the focus was more on "authenticity" (making sure the look/feel of things seemed right) than "dramatic entertainment".
So, while I think that the target audience (teens) will like this one more than I, I also don't think this will stand the test of time as a "standout teen flick", either. If you value authenticity and love to be totally immersed in the daily life of an era, this one may peak your interest, but in terms of really high drama it might fall a bit flat.
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The Edge of Seventeen
Kelly Fremon Craig wrote and directed the 2016 coming-of-age story, The Edge of Seventeen. Starring Hailee Steinfeld, Haley Lu Richardson, and Woody Harrelson, The Edge of Seventeen tells the ever so familiar tale of navigating high school and the awkward teenage years just as your world begins to fall apart. Kelly Fremon Craig follows the formula of a coming-of-age story while still managing to tug at the heartstrings of the audience and keep us engaged through the final scene. Brilliantly written with a wonderful cast, The Edge of Seventeen is sure to gain attention this Oscar season.
Nadine (Hailee Steinfeld) has always been, a little different. There was a time in her life in which she felt like such an outcast, she refused to get out of the car and enter school. Everything changed when she met Krista (Haley Lu Richardson) Finally, Nadine had a friend and felt like she belonged with someone. Nadine and Krista were attached at the hip, navigating life's challenges and the unique difficulties of their lives. Nadine has always felt overshadowed by her older brother Darian (Blake Jenner) who seems to never have a challenge with any aspect of his life. Nadine never felt worse about her brother than when he began dating Krista. The union between Krista and Darian was too much for Nadine to bear, and she drew a line in the sand presenting Krista with the ultimatum of choosing between Nadine and her brother. When Krista refused to answer, Nadine abandoned their friendship forging through life and high school and every awkward situation that comes with it friendless and alone, with the exception of her favorite teacher, Mr. Bruner (Woody Harrelson).
Kelly Fremon Craig crafted a brilliant script, reminiscent of Diablo Cody, with a perfectly conversational tone and wonderfully engaging pop culture references. The most brilliant aspect of the script was that each character was fully developed. It is so rare, especially in a coming-of-age story to have each character so beautifully fleshed out so the audience can understand the film from each perspective. The Edge of Seventeen, especially, was dependent upon being able to see the perspective of each character, as Nadine was often criticized for being self-centered in her belief that she was the only one experiencing problems in regards to the change in her family. The edge of Seventeen was an incredibly relatable story, which is the driving force of a coming-of-age tale; this inherent relatability is in no small part aided by the wonderful acting of the film's lead. Hailee Steinfeld played a perfect lead and was scene stealing and captivating every moment she was on-screen. Kelly Fremon Craig also makes some brilliant directorial choices to allow the audience to see their own similarities to the tale. The fact that the principles attend Lakewood High School reminds me of a line from A Nightmare on Elm Street, "In every town, there's an Elm Street. My hometown in Colorado has a Lakewood High School, and I'm sure, most towns in the U.S. do, as well. The most striking stroke of relatability is the illustration that we are all struggling through our own unique journey, and there is no one among us to save us. Many teenagers believe that when they are an adult they will have all the answers and won't have to struggle through life so much, only to find out that it is only the circumstances with which one struggles with that changes. There is no rule book for understanding given once one becomes an adult, and there are never any easy answers no matter how old we become, the best we can do is find someone that makes the struggle worth it, and navigate life together.
The Edge of Seventeen was a bit formulaic and predictable in parts, but that is easily forgiven, considering it is a coming-of-age film. The script and cast avoid the predictable hole the film avoided. Whether you were a Darian, who on the surface never met a struggle, or whether you were a Nadine, a self-described "old soul" who always felt out of place in your generation and missed out on the "beer pong ice breakers", there is something in The Age of Seventeen for everyone.
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Top Shelf For This Genre
As a fan of the "coming of age" story structure, I am happy to report that this film met my expectations in every single way. Some key plot points were predictable, but the writing, performances and soundtrack were all on point. The emotions and experiences the film conveys do not feel artificial, and Hailee Steinfeld shines! Intelligent writing and little twists here and there will likely leave you genuinely invested in the life of these characters and leave you wanting more. Woody Harrelson plays a wonderful image of a teacher dealing with his life amidst high school drama and Kyra Sedgwick's performance as a struggling mother was especially heart felt and real. This is not to be missed for fans of this genre!
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Recommended
John Hughes is an unmistakable touchstone of the coming of age 1980s high school dramedy. Films like Sixteen Candles, The Breakfast Club, Pretty in Pink and Ferris Bueller's Day Off chronicled the adolescent experience of growing up, dealing with teen angst and self-actualization while mixing in a dash of old fashioned screwball comedy which at once provides relatable laughter for the viewer while making the dramatic pills easier to swallow. All of those undeniably come to mind when watching the directorial debut of Post Grad screenwriter Kelly Fremon Craig, The Edge of Seventeen, a coming of age high school comedy about a socially awkward and unhappy teenage girl named Nadine (Hailee Steinfeld from True Grit) whose best friend enters a relationship with her hunky older brother (Blake Jenner from Everybody Wants Some). And yet it is Amy Heckerling's Fast Times at Ridgemont High that The Edge of Seventeen finds its closest antecedent in, providing at once a funny and sympathetic rom com and a decidedly darker, more explicit look at budding female sexuality in a world adorned with dumb horny males who care nothing for the heroine's plight and emotional crossroads. At times its unbearable watching Nadine suffer while at the same time the film doesn't deny her own complicitness in the creation of her teenage misery. At first on the outset this looked like another Juno/Ghost World lovechild but as it progressed I was surprised how funny, charming, touching and well thought out this portrait of adolescent fear, anxiety and depression really was. Sure we've seen this movie done to death, but The Edge of Seventeen provided a fresh spin on the proceedings that kept it from blending together with what came before it.
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Love Thine Own Self
Some of the best comedies distinguish the touching hysterical irony of life's joy and tragedy, and celebrate the very best in people in life's paradox. "The Edge of Seventeen" is that and much more. First time Director and Writer Kelly Fremon Craig masterfully navigates that fine line between cleverer than thou, and the reckoning of one's self. Craig captures the natural speak of high school kids without some of the pretense of "Juno". "The Edge of Seventeen" makes you burst out loud with laughter, and touches your heart. Hailee Steinfeld makes this all possible. What a revelation. I remember Hailee from the Coen Brothers' "True Grit"— phenomenal. Here she is a star. Steinfeld's performance is funny, vulnerable, and fearless. Hers is one the year's best as well.
"The Edge of Seventeen" begins somewhere in the middle of the story. Steinfeld's teen drama queen supreme Nadine interrupts her favorite teacher Mr. Brunner played by Woody Harrelson, "I'm gonna kill myself…" After a deadpan stare, Mr. Brunner reads Nadine his own drafted suicide note. Too funny. Steinfeld artfully invents Nadine as worthy of love, even when she says the vilest things. She tells literally her only friend in the world Krista (big hearted Hailey Lu Richardson) to choose between her and Nadine's brother Darian (dashing and surprising Blake Jenner). On the ferris wheel ride with Korean American Erwin (good-looking and whimsical Hayden Szeto), the charming animation nerd who is so in love with Nadine, she spews out a comical stereotype rift about of his parents. Then she admits, "All of it was racist." Craig and Steinfeld compassionately walk that fine line with inspired humor.
At a defining story arc, following a drunken indulgence Nadine weeps to Krista, "I've got to spent the rest of my life...with myself." This is heartbreaking. Her self-loathing is visceral and sad. Growing up in her eyes, older brother Darian was her parents' favorite. Not at all his fault. She constantly clashed with her Mom Mona (Kyra Sedgwick), who just did not 'get her'. Fortunately, her Dad Tom (patient and kind Eric Cooper) was not so much the buffer between Nadine and her Mom, rather the only one who could calm the fear deep in Nadine. As Nadine narrates everything tragically altered when she was 13 years old. She was with her Dad when he unexpectedly passed way.
Now 17 years old Nadine is a junior in high school and in seemingly self imposed exile with her only friend Krista (Richardson). Darian (Jenner) is the high school teenage god—handsome, smart, popular, and captain of the football team. Mona (Sedgwick) is the overwhelmed single Mom, venturing in the perils of on-line dating, and grateful for raising her perfect son. Nadine yearns for "hot" mysterious loner Nick (Alexander Calvert), who works at the local Pet Land. She indifferently dismisses Erwin (Szeto), who wears the crush for her on his sleeve. History teacher Mr. Brunner (Harrelson) is Nadine's only adult confidant and caustic reality check.
Hailee Steinfeld is radiant, pretty, and killer smart as Nadine. She wears the uniform skirt and cool shoes as eclectic couture. Outwardly, she would not occur as social pariah. Steinfeld naturally realizes her social outcast with Nadine's merciless words and her tragic refusal to love herself. All are armor to cover the hurt buried within her.
Waking up from a hangover, Nadine catches Krista 'handling' Darian in a bedroom tryst. Nadine reacts like Nadine, and life spirals out of control. She loses her only friend. Her desired rendezvous materializes and is nearly costly—strikingly and gently envisioned by Craig and Steinfeld. On the bright side she begins to see the wonderful guy in Erwin. Now if she could only just 'shut up' long enough. Nadine's words have a mind of their own: both a curse and an expression of her miraculous being.
Director and Writer Craig eloquently has Nadine's back. Darian and Krista might have been revealed as selfish jerks. Instead Jenner and Richardson only have unconditional love for Nadine. Jenner is impressively strong in the scene with his Mom. He reminds that though she is the only adult in the house, she calls him when there is trouble. The theater was silent as he and Nadine say, "Good night." Sedgwick's vulnerability strengthens the desperation and spirit of their Mom. Szeto is disarmingly brave and humorously clumsy as Erwin, who really sees Nadine's beautiful soul. Harrelson is subtle comic genius, and anchors "The Edge of Seventeen". As Mr. Brunner, we like Nadine underestimate him. Harrelson's hysterical cynicism masks the most generous soul. He sees the possibility of greatness in Nadine, even though she can't, yet.
"The Edge of Seventeen" is a wonderful surprise. Hailee Steinfeld is witty and boldly human as Nadine reluctantly emerges as the hero in her own story. Her performance is raw— we feel her agony, fear, and joy. We pull for her Nadine to love thine own self. Above all Nadine deserves to love and be loved. We can all see the possibility of this for ourselves as well. "The Edge of Seventeen" is one of the best movies of the year. Thank you, Hailee and Kelly. You've done great.
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it asks for your sympathy, or more-so your empathy, while being very funny and perceptive
If you're on the outside, in a strange way it may be preferable in certain ways than being the "perfect" child. I know this from experience - being a teenager sucked, and felt very much alone and alienated and without many (if any) friends, and feeling like everyone around was full of crap and not worth paying attention to - that there is this ironic thing that being someone like Nadine in this story is that it makes that person feel special. This is a revelation that comes late in the movie, but it's something that should've been seen for so long: you now, Nadine, the 'perfect' ones are pretty damn miserable too. Know that and see that. That's a message enough.
The other problem for teenagers, which I think a lot of people (myself included) can relate to, is that sense of low self esteem. All the time, always, pervasive, even if life is, when looking from outside, not too bad. Nadine has a good friend, Krista, who she's been close with since she was a little kid, and she has a loving mother (though a little too, what's the word, not relatable or able to connect with or aw hell mothers and daughters at that age never get along for like two years), and also a perfect brother... and then the conflict comes when, outside of anything Nadine does, Krista and Darian (Blake Jenner) become a serious couple. Oh, and Nadine's dad died when she was 13 so there's that on top of everything else.
The filmmaker Kelly Fremon Craig makes sure there's enough inner conflict so that when Nadine does go into what could be called a spiral of despair and depression, there is *some* context for it. I have to wonder if I would have liked the film as much or found enough to be sympathetic and/or even empathetic (yes, as a guy I can feel in her shoes, it's past gender and into how a worldview is at that age, of other people in general), if there hadn't been that past baggage, of having identity issues in a family, or lacking the father who was the one who loved her the most, if she was just, uh, another teenage girl with issues of identity and crushing on the cute unattainable boy (with that hair, the girls will say!) I think the power and brilliance of the script, and there is brilliance to it for the most part, is that Craig makes sure to have characters call Nadine on her problems, that she is surrounded by people who both care about her AND make sure to see through her poutier/more dramatic moments.
And there is a lot of drama here, a lot of it may be (or just is) Nadine's own making. The movie opens with the scene we've seen from the trailers where she tells Woody Harrelson's teacher character that she's going to kill herself (his response, in the ways of knowing, sympathetic but No-BS teachers who have clearly seen girls like Nadine before, has his own "suicide note" that he reads to her, undercutting her immediately), and it makes for something that is funny and poignant and incredibly clever; his response to her frantic sense of panic over sending the message asking the cute-boy to do things to her (and her to him) in the Pet-Land backroom is the kind of witty line one might expect in a less-strict script from the 1940's. There's wit burning off the screen here.
These characters, for the most part here, are not dumb characters or stupid, or if they make the wrong decisions (Nadine most of all) it's out of not being able to control themselves emotionally. I do wish that Krista had been a little more in the film, or a little more developed. But it's not her story anyway; if anything this filmmaker knows that in other conventional stories, it might be her story and Darian. But Nadine is interesting *because* she is so messed up and we want to see her get better, or to connect more with the genuine nice guy (aka slightly "dorky" but in a way that should be attractive), and Craig may make her unlikable to some in the audience - those, maybe, that just see her as the "B" word that can't get her s*** together and smarten up (the only criticism I thought of was when she asked Erwin if he had a pool, and when he said yes and that she had one too I thought, 'huh, alright, that should be fine shouldn't it?')
I think the key to The Edge of Seventeen's success is that the script was one thing, and it is already a smart and perceptive script - dare I, oh, hell, I'll just say it, I like it more than something that is quirkier but still in the pocket of certain clichés like JUNO - but the actors have to make it come alive. Steinfeld is spectacular in making Nadine someone who you more than feel fore but can put your shoes into, of that insecurity matched with that "I hate all these other people" feeling, and that she makes her charming despite those moments when she does some terrible things to her family. Harrelson is the "wise old man" of the film (and he's BALD too, or, you know, sort of balding, that's the best Nadine can come up with as far as a put down), and Sedgwick is wonderful as the mother too, making someone who is seen one way to her daughter and to us another way as frustrated, flustered and still loving deep down.
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You need to watch for run-on sentences
Warning: Spoilers
This film has nothing to do with the rock anthem "Edge of Seventeen." It is sort of like watching "Harper valley PTA" and discovering it was a different Harper Valley PTA where nothing went on.
Hailee Steinfeld has inherited the moody maladjusted teen role from Ellen Page, who could probably still pull it off, we just wouldn't believe it. We see Nadine "suffer" through all sorts of teen angst and faux drama, like her best friend (Haley Lu Richardson) is dating her hunk brother (Blake Jenner). I am not sure what the issue is there, but whatever it was, it was big. She does not confide in her mother (Kyra Sedgwick) and growing up, she was a daddy's girl until he passed. Her loan confidant is her history teacher (Woody Harrelson) who has his own way which adds to the humor of the film. Nadine is crushing on Nick (Alexander Calvert) while Erwin (Hayden Szeto) crushes on her...more like "Love Stinks" than "Edge of Seventeen." The feature was a comedy for much of the time, except for that one moment near the end they are required to squeeze in drama, so we can have that formula "feel good" ending.
Guide: F-word. Implied sex. Groping. sexting. No nudity
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I had the worst thought: I've got to spend the rest of my life with myself
Warning: Spoilers
The Edge of 17 is an emotional film that does an amazing job of illustrating what it is like when you don't like yourself. The film follows Nadine, a socially awkward teenage girl who has the two most important people in her life. Her dad died of a stroke, and her best friend betrayed her by dating her brother. As the film progresses, we learn that Nadine has low self-esteem. In her own words, she states, "I had the worst thought: I've got to spend the rest of my life with myself." We also learn that Nadine has no other friends, so once her dad and her best friend are gone, she is left all alone. As someone who has spent a lot of time alone, I really related to Nadine and her struggles with depression and just trying to find her place in the world. Hailee Steinfeld's performance is simply amazing. The way in which she plays Nadine really sells the complexity of the character, and it's incredible the wide range of emotions she can display. And while I think she is great in all of her films, this one defiantly stands out as it illustrates how she can carry a film. Hailee and Woody Haralson also have great chemistry in the movie. My only criticism was the ending felt a little too neat and maybe slightly rushed. However, I don't think that takes away from the film at all. In fact, I'd go as far as to say this is a must-watch.
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What Ever Happened to Charm in the Movies?
Warning: Spoilers
"The Edge of Seventeen" is really two films. The first half is a sloppy teen comedy with very few laughs. The second half is a syrupy coming of age story that is not believable. Neither the comedy nor the serious drama succeed in their objectives.
The only character whose scenes are engrossing is the lazy high school history teacher played by Woody Harrelson. His banter with his student Nadine actually has a spark of life. Unfortunately, Nadine's character, who drives the film, is so unpleasant that it is impossible to empathize with her growing pains.
Nearly every relationship in the film lacked an essential level of honesty. Nadine's beloved father seemed far too old. The relationship of Nadine with her older brother was never credible. The treatment Nadine's mother by her daughter was deplorable. And it made no sense that Nadine would reject her best friend for dating her brother.
The main ingredient missing in this film was charm. The ungainly seventeen-year-old would have been much more likable and the film would have been much more watchable, if only she had an ounce of charm.
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If you're over twenty-five I would just watch something else.
My wife saw The Edge Of Seventeen and told me it was a chick flick. So I was warned but I still did watch it though. And I can only come to the conclusion that those ose kind of movies are just not for me. I can get that teenagers like those kind of movies, because maybe they can recognize some stuff from their own adolescent life. But for a grown childless man like myself the last thing I want to see is whining adolescents during ninety minutes. Because that's what you basically get with The Edge Of Seventeen. Hailee Steinfeld plays Nadine, a teenager that complains about almost everything while in my humble opinion she has absolutely no reason to. The movie is shot nicely though, the acting is just okay, the script is boring. Boring for almost everybody past twenty-five.
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Not just teen angst
Warning: Spoilers
As many reviewers have stated, the main character Nadine is more then just going through growing pains. She shows signs of deeper emotional problems that go way beyond losing her father. Almost all of Nadine's problems are brought on by her own actions. And when one is unaware that they are the problem, it will continue. Unfortunately here, she does a complete 180, over the coarse of a night. I didn't like that. But maybe time constraints prohibited from telling this gradually. One of the strongest disagreements I've seen in reviews has been over her life long friend. To me this might have been the ONLY thing Nadine was justified at feeling betrayed. Key is lifelong friend. Who we see in one scene is actually targeting her brother. Then in the next she's found in bed with him. Then in the next she's all mushy mushy with a girl who wouldn't talk to her before. So yes Nadine, giving her an ultimatum was probably not the right next move, but never speaking to her again would have been. You just don't do that to friends. I found Woody to be a great choice in a supporting but important role as a very grounding and level headed teacher. Hailee Steinfeld's performance once again shows she's a force now, and in the future. Though the ending was to quick at resolve, it was definitely worth a watch
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Great potential but an awful ending
Warning: Spoilers
The first 3/4 of the movie are completely enthralling, there's no doubt about that. It's a whirlwind of events and life's curveballs, conflict that only gets worse and messier as the plot goes on, all building to the climax, which is meant to be the protagonist's catharsis.
So then why is Nadine, the one who has been beaten down the most without remorse, the only one apologizing at the end? The brother who treats her like garbage and says unforgivable things makes no effort at an apology, instead his only resolution is a single hug he gives her when he accepts her apology *for her entire life*. And the mother who has emotionally abused her for as long as she can remember? Well her non-apology comes in the form of deleting an angry text she's about to send, instead simply letting her be.
And then there's the lifelong friend who betrayed her trust in the first place. What does she do, other than deny any responsibility for abandoning a friend in an unfamiliar atmosphere at the party when she's supposed to be trying to make amends for screwing Nadine's brother? No really, I'd like to know, because that's the last meaningful interaction they have. Nadine gets ditched, and when she holds Krista accountable all she says is that's not what happened. The next interaction they have is in the last minutes of the movie, and it's as emotionless and simple as just accepting that they're maybe talking again.
The only person who makes any progress in the entire movie is Nadine, and nobody else is held accountable at all. It's nice in the sense of yay the movie ends on a good note for her, but the character is left with a still toxic family who accept her apology and offer none of their own, which isn't exactly inspiring for any imagined epilogue.
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Seems forced and dull
I am a big fan of coming-of-age stories, have seen almost all of them. So was naturally inclined to see this one. But this one falls way short of making an actual impact such story can make.
First of all the protagonist 'Nadine', comes out to be not so real and one who lacks depth. I found it very hard to build a connection with her and was never able to even sympathize. She's so pretty why wouldn't the boys want to hang out with her? Maybe it was a case poor casting ?
Other supporting characters also let down with caricature mom and similar brother. Her best friend is also depicted as a boring cardboard character. Humans even adolescents are much are complex and nuanced than that. Also there isn't much action going on in the film and most of them seem out of place. Nothing much exciting or unpredictable happens in the film.
It feels like forced entertainment, which is produced only because such movies mostly go down well with the audience. But sorry not this one. I should go back to watch Rushmore or 400 blows or Breakfast Club.
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Hailee Steinfeld showcases her acting skills
The Edge of Seventeen is a fresh take on the coming of age film. Carried by a standout performance from Hailee Steinfeld, there's a good story and strong messages in this movie. The sharp script, with loads of great lines from Woody Harrelson, offers a unique perspective on some of the challenges faced in female adolescence.
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As confusing as that age
The script and acting was so awesome and I guess the themes accurate, that I can forgive a bunch of unrealistic resolutions to some realistic problems. Some for comedic effects, some for confortably resolve them.
This girl is great and Woody Harrelson just uses his charm by now. He's on that level
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Can seventeen be that bad?
Remember all those teen movies about how much fun it is to be a teenager? Porky's, Ferris Bueller's Day Off, all those American Pie movies and movies that spend an inordinate amount of time at the beach, to name a few. These are typical teenage movies. The Edge of Seventeen is not a typical teenage movie, and that is what makes it so great. Oh, there have been other great non-typical teenage films of late, like The Perks of Being a Wallflower, but somehow Seventeen stands alone.
Perhaps it is the intense and thoroughly committed performance of Hailee Steinfeld who started her film career under the tutelage of the Cohn Brothers in their remake of True Grit (oh yeah, and was nominated for an Oscar at the age of 14, although principle filming occurred while she was 13). Hailee so captures the angst of Nadine, whose name alone sets her apart, (Nadine was the most common name given to baby girls in 1958); that one cannot help but ache for her. Nadine carries the weight of the world on her shoulders and believes herself to be unlike any of the other kids who text each other about the tacos they're eating, and communicate in emojis.
She plays well alongside her favorite teacher, portrayed cheekily by Woody Harrelson who provides some of the best laughs in the film, as one might expect. Also of note, I think, is the quirky, lovable and downright cute performance of Hayden Szeto as Erwin. Erwin sits next to Nadine in class stumbling and bumbling his way through awkward repartee in the hopes of some sort of hook-up. But nothing is typical here, and the course that said repartee takes leads us into uncharted teen territory. It might also be interesting to note that the name Erwin was the most common baby name in 1918, which makes this Erwin an old soul, to be sure.
Kelly Fremon Craig has written a real gem here, and his first directing effort will earn him much critical acclaim, to be sure. The thing he does masterfully is take us inside the character of Nadine by giving us so many moments alone with her; moments when we experience in her stillness, in her eyes, and in her facial discipline as an actress the absolute bankruptcy of her isolation. None of us would want to be seventeen again, or ever; at least not her seventeen.
I am grateful to the studio, and to the Marcus Corporation for giving some of us movie lovers an opportunity to pre-screen this film that will be released on November 18th. I suppose they hope we will say good things about it and get others to go see the film. Well, go see the film. You will laugh, and you will need a few tissues, but you will not regret having spent a few hours walking in Nadine's shoes. Perhaps there is a little Nadine in all of us after all.
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Mentally ill passing as a coming of age
Being quirky and not fitting in is one thing, however flipping back and forth and not making a right decision when you 17 (not 14) is another thing. A Hollywood ending, where the character in 5 minutes has both feet on the ground and everything is just fine doesn't ring true.
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Very good teen movie
Warning: Spoilers
The Edge Of Seventeen is a 2016 teen drama starring Hailey Steinfield and tells the tale of a teenager girl named Nadine who's life hasn't been the best. Her father dies unexpectedly of a heart attack when she was 13 years old and her mom is more fond of Nadine's brother Darian(played by Blake Jenner)as he is more popular and attentive than Nadine is. But things get even more complicated when Nadine's childhood friend Krista(played by Haley Lu Richardson)starts dating Nadine's brother causing her relationship with her friend in jeopardy. However Nadine later befriends Erwin who secretly has a crush on her.
But back to Nadine's life will she finally make amends with her estranged brother and mother(played by Kydra Sedgwick) as well as getting it with Erwin?
Overall I thoroughly enjoyed this movie as I caught it on Netflix today. It reminds me of John Hughes films like The Breakfast Club where the director of this film Kelly Fremon Craig borrowed elements from John Hughes films. The acting is great,the soundtrack is very good and I liked the story which deals with emotions,guilt,betrayal as well as being an introvert. If you are a fan of Hailey Steinfield than check it out.
B+
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Source: https://www.imdb.com/title/tt1878870/reviews
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