Director Kelly Fremon
Genre Comedy
Cast Hailee Steinfeld, Blake Jenner, Haley Lu Richardson, Woody Harrelson
Rating R
Release Date November 18th, 2016
“High-school life gets even more unbearable for Nadine when her best friend, Krista, starts dating her older brother.”
The Edge of Seventeen is a coming-of-age dramedy (that's a drama/comedy for those of you unfamiliar with sophisticated Hollywood terminology) about a High School junior and the struggles she faces, not only as a typical awkward, often moody, teenager, but also in unexpected life events. It is written and directed by Kelly Fremon Craig and The Edge of Seventeen is her directorial debut. The film has an impressive cast including Hailee Steinfeld (Pitch Perfect 2), Woody Harrelson, Blake Jenner (Everybody Wants Some!!, Glee), Kyra Sedgwick, and Haley Lu Richardson (The Bronze).
With an incredibly smart and uniquely engaging script, as well as a very talented cast, The Edge of Seventeen is a coming-of-age film tailored for all ages. I'll admit, I enjoy and sometimes even prefer films of the coming-of-age variety, but this particular film raises the bar. Not only is the script smart, it’s insightful and has tremendous depth, touching on traditional family drama in a way that is engaging and emotionally enriching. This is the story of a teenager struggling to find herself while being dealt some of the worst cards life can offer, and it is a pleasure to experience. The characters come to life and develop complex relationships, even outside of the main character. Relatively inexperienced director/writer Kelly Fremon Craig out did herself, and I can't wait to watch her sure to be promising career unfold.
The Edge of Seventeen does a lot really well, and veering away from the impressive script for a second, the acting is also top tier. Hailee Steinfeld is dynamic in the lead role of misunderstood high school junior, Nadine. The range of emotion she is able to display speaks volumes for her talent as an actress. I am a huge Woody Harrelson fan and have been for as long as I can remember, the guy is a genius within the acting profession. Coming as no surprise to me, he is incredible in this film. As Nadine's history teacher, he has arguably one of the biggest influences on her as she navigates the treacherous road that is the high school experience. I could watch their scenes together over and over again. Kyra Sedgwick and Blake Jenner are perfectly cast as Nadine's mother and brother and the chemistry between them is almost otherworldly.
Unlike so many films that came before it, The Edge of Seventeen isn't built on one-liners, it's built on moments of raw emotion that will make you feel something. It is a crowd pleaser that will more than likely take you by surprise. Do yourself a favor and forget the notion that coming-of-age films are below you or are similar to what many consider to be "chick flicks". This is an example of quality filmmaking no matter what the genre and demands to be seen. I will be adding this to my entirely unnecessarily large Blu-ray collection and who knows, I may even see it a second time in theaters. Highly recommended.
