So just watched The Edge of Seventeen and...
...blegh. This was not as "good" as I thought it was going to be. After reading all the hype from the national RT/MC reviewers (I don't know of anyone that actually saw the movie in theaters), I finally watched it yesterday/today and just thought it was mediocre overall. From all the hype, I was expecting that Hailee Steinfeld's performance was going to be some sort of "revelation" but I just ended up absolutely hating her character for a majority of the movie. She was just such a bitch throughout with her "edgey" SJW/hipster/millennial attitude. I get what the director was going for, but the character just didn't appeal to me that much.
Also, there wasn't much of a real story or any significant meat to the movie as well. It just felt like not much happened other than Nadine having her little rushed "revelation" period at the end of the movie. The performances by the actors/actresses were definitely good but there wasn't a whole lot to work with. Honestly, I think that I was just too hyped for the movie itself and it was definitely a letdown in regards to that. Don't go in with any expectations for it other than being a slightly above-average rom-com.
"The Edge of Seventeen" had all the ingredients to fail and be cliché like so many other "coming of age" movies.
However, while watching it I noticed that it was going to be different. This film portrays so well what many teenagers go through during their academic lives. We feel that the whole world is against us, nobody understands us and that everything that can go wrong, will go wrong. We hate life and everyone around us.
Also while I was seeing, here are some things I noticed with which I related to me:
"The Edge of Seventeen" surprised me a lot. Hailee Steinfeld and Woody Harrelson were great. And on top is the "directorial debut" Kelly Fremon Craig. However, I feel that this movie was not seen by many people, which is a shame.
"The Edge of Seventeen" is very well acted, directed and specially very well written.
Good film, with decent performances from the entire cast. I related to the story - school was a giant crapfest for many of us - but the film goes beyond simple stereotypes. The well-rounded characters make the film stand out from others of its kind.
I wasn't sure what to expect, but was beautifully surprised.
the movie sets the tone early with lovely dry self-depreciating humour.
there's a nice connection to the teenage years of trying to connect and find people you relate to.
the main actor Hailee has a lovely style. it is easy to warm to her character but still keep enough distance to reflect on weird decisions she makes.
there is a nice flow between the minor trivialities in her day and significant events that floor the main character or someone close to her.
a fun and emotively reflective movie
A must watch for teens.
A powerfull movie with great humor and very realistic..I just loved it dont miss this one!
From Juno, this film doth grow. We’ve seen them all before teenage coming-of-age films, with angst, bullies, hunks and spurned love.
No, you haven’t. Thanks to Kelly Fremon Craig who wrote and directed this film you really haven’t. She might have been influenced by John Hughes and others from these film tropes but just in this film she has overtaken them – the schmaltz has been watered down and we’re all much better for that, actors and audience.
Edge of Seventeen is a film that has been crafted and made from all those cliched, cooker cutter, Ikea build teen school drama/comedies over the years but it disrespectfully smashes them all out of the park with some force. Nadine has all the annoyingly silly problems that every teenager has but they are never shown as comedic at her expensive just at their concept, she is annoying and dislikeable but somehow see elicits your sympathy. I’ve been in a family with teenagers (they weren’t mine too) and are there more hits in this portrayal than they are misses. The comedy comes from the situations as the film is played straight and does not rely on earnest music-inspired wallowing which is much to its credit.
Hailee Steinfeld from her breakout, astoundingly brilliant, role in True Grit is back on tip top form and she must be as at every turn Woody Harrelson and Hayden Szeto scene steal in an unshowy way as soon as they turn up. Great support comes from the sparky and likable Haley Lu Richardson who plays Nadine’s sparky and likable best and only friend, Krista, and Blake Jenner as her hunky brother Darian. The reliable Kyra Sedgwick plays Nadine and Darian's lonely mother to the tee, hopefully she hasn't been in the situation but there will many others who watch this story who have been. I would have to state that the casting for this film is perfect.
Even the stock characters in this type of movie the morose and cool Nick and the awkward and nice Erwin as close to stock teen-movie characters are not quite what they would be in another movie – they are still characters you would expect to see but not a rapist and not a bumbling fool if that makes sense. Overall these were kids I recognise from days back in pre-history was a young teenager.
If the writing and the acting are top notch then it is all brought to a magnificent crescendo by the nuanced, sympathetic, annoying and endearing performance by Steinfeld who once again proves that if there is one direction she should go in her young career it is acting. She plays the role of the teenage girl who is moody to the point of belligerence, self-centred and yet blind to her real strengths to an astonishing degree – I’m guessing she’s had the real experience at some time in her life - but this type of role/character can be and has been overplayed too many times for her display to not be anything other than outstanding. The top it all off with the sardonic and gruff Woody Harrelson whose character teacher Mr. Bruner seems so disinterested and just ‘turning-his-wheels’ (you know he’s not) and you have a film that has so many plus points that it would appear churlish to try and find any negative ones.
Having said all this the film has weaker points – being infatuated with the wrong boy whilst missing the nice boy under your nose is so old it has cobwebs on it but it is still written and acted better in this film than virtually all others – the ending seems a bit too nice and neatly wrapped up but after all it is a film and finishing on a nice note is what a majority of the audience would want to see for Nadine and her compatriots - you’d have to be some sort of stone-hearted ogre to want something darker.
If this seems to be a ‘love note’ to Hailee Steinfeld and Edge of Seventeen for her performance and the film and it seems gushing and flowery I make no apologies. Any film that can make me laugh from the opening scene to end whilst telling a version of a story that is as old as cinema itself wins for me every time.
Bring on the next Hailee Steinfeld film I say. Bring on the next Kelly Fremon Craig film I say.
One of very few movies about teens that has you sympathizing with them and experience it through their point of view. It kind of reminded me of Lady Bird.
Teen movies are my guilty pleasure, I really enjoyed this one! 5/7 !
I came upon this movie by a circuitive route. I'd flagged it, in passing, somewhere along the way but didn't watch it. Then, today, I saw that the lead actress, Hailee Steinfeld, was winning an online poll to play Batgirl in a new Joss Wedon project and I remembered that she had been nominated for an Oscar 17 years ago for her performance in TRUE GRIT. So, I watched the trailer of this, her latest movie, laughing all the way through it. It ended with the review "John Hughes would be proud". That sold it. And, now, here I am contentedly reviewing it, as the credits roll. I'm giving it a 8.9 (just a tad short of superb) out of 10. The casting is great, the performances are witty and poignant, all at the same time, and the story telling rang true, even if I wished, all the way through, that children didn't have to make adult decisions in our screwed up world. John Hughes, a legend of his time as the soothsayer of the teenage psyche, would, indeed, have been proud.
The reviews I read on here weren't as positive as I was when I finished the movie. So I started thinking "am I being too positive about a movie again". Then I decided I'm not because I just really enjoyed this movie. The reactions from the characters were a bit over the top sometimes but apart from that I really liked it. It was a fun movie with quite a serious subject. Really, I found it to be very enjoyable.
Hailee Steinfeld showed us with this movie what a great actress she is. I think it's quite a challenge to play a character like Nadine because she was so "extreme". The movie built up wasn't very special or anything but worked really well. Same with the camera work. Not very special but still a lot of beautiful shots.
I think it was a good movie which I really enjoyed.
imagine having a teacher half as cool as woody harrelson
Very watchable coming of age film. Only complaint is if gets too cringeworthy sometimes. Would watch again.
cinematography: 2/3
acting: 3/3
storytelling: 3/3
enjoyment: 1/1
9/10
I think I was supposed to want everything to work out for the main character.
"Life isn't fair sometimes, Nadine, okay? You gotta get over it!"
I wish I was allowed to be this dramatic as a teenager. Any sign of self pity and my mom would give me that look and I knew it was trouble before my tantrum even began (and I love her for doing that). That being said, I really liked this movie. There is a good lesson in it and Woody Harrelson plays a wholesome and loving character.
Tries too hard to be 'edgy', succeeds in some places, but not all.
We've been on a coming-of-age-flick kick lately having just watched Eighth Grade... Seeing this so close to Eighth Grade, it's hard not to compare the two. They're very similar thematically, but done very differently. Both feature young girls going through some pretty emotionally difficult situations. While The Edge of Seventeen is much more of a traditional big budget movie, Eighth Grade feels almost like watching a documentary in comparison.
I thought the story here was good, but damn... it felt like most of the movie was seeing how much crap they could pile on a girl. It wasn't unrealistic, it just felt like: "and now we'll add this horrible thing... not enough? Okay, how about this? And now this? And this? etc." The ending also felt like it happened way too quickly. Not unrealistic, but it felt rushed.
Woody Harrelson essentially plays himself. Hilariously. He's definitely a high point of the movie.
I liked this, it was fun, but as a movie I liked Eighth Grade a lot more.
My oldest got home from work as we were finishing this so we watched Eighth Grade again as my oldest two hadn't seen it yet. My kids all liked The Edge of Seventeen more.
Magnificent movie except the ending. I would have given it a higher rating if it had a better ending. I think the ending was off-putting and way too happy, too easy and too sudden. They were at a sad and depressing moment and suddenly everything changes and gets resolved in 5 seconds. She doesn't want to come back home with her brother and suddenly the same night after she returns she changes and hugs him and everything is ok and happy?
An ending like Lady Bird where it's more nuanced and subtle would have been better. At the moment it works like a very by the number and cliche happy ending. The kind you want to avoid in a good movie like this.
One of the better coming-of-age films out there. The girl was a little annoying but ultimately it worked out.
https://IHateBadMovies.com
Killer dialogue floats to the top every once in a while, but the film too often feels like an extended episode of The O.C. minus the slow-burn insight that a full season of television can more easily provide.
The film is crammed with misery for our heroine Nadine, but despite the numerous opportunities she's given to succeed, her relentless misfortune overwhelms any chance at a convincing resolution - and not just for her. Flashes of maturity are expected in a coming of age story, but even those together don't necessarily signal a true tectonic shift. After all the film's events it's too easy to imagine the family sliding right back to the toxic environment they started in. Not a good forecast for Nadine's psychological recovery.
What this film is: a perfectly portrayed, scripted and executed coming of age movie, with every charm and cliché of its genre. What this film isn't: anything more. And don't even try to pretend that it has anything more to offer. It doesn't. And it does NOT have to. If you don't expect it to have any plot twists, or to be revolutionary, you're gonna leave your armchair with satisfaction at the end of it.
well i loved Woody Harrelson he was soo funny in his bizare kind of way! very rollercoaster movie. enjoyed it and the soundtrack was really set up pretty good.
A bit of quirky but pleasant and enjoyable little film. Steinfeld is really good as a teenager with a lot of issues.
Edge of Seventeen is a great funny little coming of age comedy. I really hope this movie gets the attention it deserves when its released on DVD. Hailee Steinfeld is a star in this film.
This coming-of-age film could have been great - it's 80% of the way there and lands at just good, relying on some cliche moments and without enough time spent exploring relationships between characters. The middle lags and the end is too fast, but the acting and some of the dialogue is excellent. I enjoyed it once but wouldn't watch it again.
Simply one of the best movies I've ever seen. Incredibly relatable, funny, yet heartwrenching at the BEST moments. An absolute must watch!
Pretty low-key scenario with teaching actually nothing and not concluding any underlying problems of the female protagonist with peace of mind. If you would like to watch a good movie, look at Flipped (2010). That's the powerful one.
If you're actually in the edge of seventeen do not watch this movie. Or do, so you can see that you not only feel like a crap, but the other people in the world sees you like this too. Don't know how this could be helpful, but that is it.
Good movie I recommend 7.5
Funny thing is I’ve had this movie on my watchlist for a year now, and I’d seen it various times scrolling through Netflix.....but I never pressed the button to finally watch it.
Until today xD, I don’t know why it took me forever but it did.
Either way, the only thing I knew of this movie going in was Nadine was seventeen and an angsty teen. One morning she catches her best friend and brother had slept together.
For some reason my brain didn’t put together that this was a “coming of age” movie until after it was over......Don’t judge me xD
Moving on, I will say for anyone who watches this, despite it being a “coming of age” movie, it doesn’t tackle any serious issues with life. It felt more to me like a relatable movie; basically, “you are not the only one who has gone through this problem/emotion/etc.”
Disclaimer: this movie does include some cursing and groping. :asterisk_symbol::asterisk_symbol:If you actually feel as if you do need any type of help, try and talk to someone. Don’t follow this movie as an example of what to do because real life is never like the movies.:asterisk_symbol::asterisk_symbol:
Pros....
- :asterisk_symbol::asterisk_symbol:The banter between Hailee S. and Woody H. in a lot of the scenes made most of the movie for me.:asterisk_symbol::asterisk_symbol:
One because it was unexpected. Second because it all flowed together nicely, and it’s rare to ever have that relationship with a teacher as a student.
- :asterisk_symbol::asterisk_symbol:It’s relatable:asterisk_symbol::asterisk_symbol: in terms of what most of us deal with through high school, or life even [...just in a high school setting]
• Feeling misunderstood/alone
• Acting out to seek attention
• Branching out
• The insecurities
• How the loss of a parent can affect oneself/a family
(Note: the movie revolves around Nadine more than her family, but her brother and mom do bring up some issues they’ve had since the father died)
- One memorable scene for me out of this whole movie was towards the ending. Nadine ends up meeting her teacher’s wife and before going to put her baby to sleep, she tells Nadine,:asterisk_symbol::asterisk_symbol: “Whatever it is you’re going through, it’ll pass. I went through a rough patch myself not too long ago. Now look where I am [signaling to her husband].” :asterisk_symbol::asterisk_symbol:
Yes it’s a cliche line, but regardless it’s always a good reminder.
Cons...
- :asterisk_symbol::asterisk_symbol:The ending/making up of the characters felt too rushed to me. :asterisk_symbol::asterisk_symbol:
Actually when I got to the ending, for some reason I thought this is still the middle....but no it was the end. Another thing that somewhat ticked me off, which went against the whole relatable thing, was how quickly EVERYONE forgave her. I mean it great so the audience can have a happy ending, but you try to make this a funny, relatable, “coming of age” movie but end it like that. Sorry but that doesn’t sit well with me.
- :asterisk_symbol::asterisk_symbol:Despite some parts of Nadine’s character being relatable, I did find the character to be overall a bitch. :asterisk_symbol::asterisk_symbol:Anyone can say her being one was also a defense mechanism, maybe to some degree that’s true. Yet she was like that since she was little....before her father died. So when we received Nadine’s epic monologue of wanting to change and all....it just didn’t sell it for me.
Good. I liked it. But damn did the first maybe two thirds drop a ton of crap on this poor girl.
this is a good film
i like it !
A not below average teen film that made me miss John Hughes, who did all of this before, and better.
I'm pist offffffff. Ughh.
Actually I will admit, movie is good, it's not great, but it's good. It's something fresh for those 'teen-life' movies.
It's all good, but the main character ir such a c***, she makes all the problems her-self, if she didn't then movie could end in 20 minutes.
But she presents teens of nowdays, selfish, annoying and with their own ego. They think about them-selfs, how they fell.
And movie shows the biger picture who we se, but not the main character.
At the end, I can give 7 lemons of ten.
As for you- you can give it a try, but don't have a big expectations.
Shout by CinemanicBonkersBlockedParent2017-02-10T06:07:33Z
Aww what a lovely film with a lot of mixed emotions, but mostly from the script, a good sense of humour. Brilliant performance from Nadine (Hailee steinfeld) that I think she should go far with and not forgetting the rest of the cast that did just as good. I specially loved Mr Bruner (woody Harrelson) performance with his nasty, sarcastic sense of humour with a twist, and with all the characters he's played in his acting life it suits him.