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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katiefanatic-791-30691821 December 2018
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devin-gregory28 October 2016As 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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SnoopyStyle2 June 2017Nadine (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. -
darkojedi18 November 2016John 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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paul-allaer25 November 2016"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. -
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. -
kingsx_6410 July 2019As 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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diegojosmer21 December 2018The 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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neil-47616 May 201817-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. -
ThomasDrufke18 November 2016I 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 -
JankiSharma13 December 2016The Edge of Seventeen directed by Kelly Fremon Craig is all about Hailee Stenfeld as Nadine, a 17 yr old girl who feels isolated from others in school because she is too matured for others and too focused on having no one on her side after her only friend , her best friend from early childhood ,Krista(played very well by Haley Lu Richardson)starts dating her good looking brother Darian( Blake Jenner , loved his character in Everybody wants some). Nadine lets out her anger and frustrations about life to her teacher, callous and calm Mr Bruner (Woody Harrelson). Mr Bruner is an excellent listener and understands the turmoil of a 17 yr old female who lost her father at a very young age and now has to cope with life's mole hill problems turned into mountains because of her anger and jealousies. Movie is very pleasant and Hailee Stenfeld has potential to do good roles. I enjoyed conversation between Krista and Nadine after Nadine sees Krista with her brother. And then conversations between Nadine and Mr Bruner about wanting to die. Haley Lu Richardson and Blake Jenner did well as a very nice calm and pleasant couple. Not Oscar worthy for Direction, script, editing but overall a pleasant 1hr44minutes movie.
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vtoivon22 November 2016Remember 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. -
wbuttle20 April 2019The Edge of Seventeen is, in my opinion, one of the best teen movies ever made. Up there with The Breakfast Club, Perks of Being A Wallflower and 10 Things I Hate About You. Hailee Steinfeld is one of the best upcoming actresses out there!
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malseeds27 February 2019The 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. -
jackcwelch2312 October 2017I know most people would have felt sympathy for Nadine. I personally wanted her to follow through with her suicide threats at times. I always struggle to connect with protagonists who hate themselves and actively try to make situations worse by saying the wrong thing. It comes from an attention seeking place and is inherently self absorbed. Hailee Steinfeld is fantastic playing her of course, I don't fault her performance for a second. She was just not much of a character to root for. From what we see Darrian really only insults her after she insults him first, and for the most part just wants to live his life, he isn't a complete alpha male asshole who thrives on power, just a kid who happened to be born good looking and thus got what most of us want, popularity.
The movie is good, but not great. It is not as powerful and memorable as recent teen dramas that came out in recent years. It also has clichéd silly music and sitcom moments where it really should have picked a tone and stuck with it. Also Krista's character is woefully underdeveloped. Would have been nice to see a few more scenes where they confide in each other about Nadine's behaviour. Woody Harrelson elevates this from a 6 to a 7 by just being Woody Harrelson. The man turns orange juice to whisky. This movie simply could have left more of an imprint than it does. -
mima1713 August 2020I recommend watching if you're a teenager, maybe not so much for older people.
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oOoBarracuda25 November 2016Kelly 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. -
The actress does a great job and I'm surprised she isn't in more movies. That said, the story is missing something and the ending is somewhat anticlimactic.
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ethanbresnett5 July 2021This film really shocked me by how good it was. These sorts of teen coming of age films can always be a bit hit and miss, but this was a massive massive hit.
Primarily this was due to the performance of Hailee Steinfeld who was so brilliant. I can't remember seeing a better performance from a lead in a teen movie. She just played the part to perfection, presenting quite a troubled and brash character in a very sympathetic way so that we could fully root for her. The supporting cast were all perfectly good, but Hailee eclipsed them all.
The plot was also very strong, and maybe not what you'd expect from the synopsis. It has a well developed protagonist at its core who is great to follow, and does a brilliant job of exploring her motivations and actions even if we don't always agree with them. On top of this there are lots of poignant and moving moments, as well as a script that feels authentic. Sometimes you can tell that these teen movies are written by adults who have no idea how teenagers actually speak and act, but this all felt very believable.
The positives keep on coming as the soundtrack, direction, pacing, all that good stuff, were spot on.
Loved it. -
bbekloffyaa5 May 2018First of all,It's kind of teenagers movie.In Nadine, her role is most abrasive,needy,solipsistic teen character. She is 17 year old who hates her mother and her brother.And she has only one friend at school whose name is Krista.But her friend and her brother fall in love each other.The edge of seventeen is perceptive in showing how teenage friendships,in their fusional intensity and daily commitment,are almost like romantic affairs.When they go south, it's painful and messy. Secondly,The films strenght is how seriously it takes these people and their fragile emotions even as it tweak's them for gentle laughs and ushers them toward predictable resolutions.
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fraggingrev27 October 2016I just saw an early screening of the movie at a local Cinemark in Texas. It was really good! Had a very unique and fresh feel to it.
Hailee Steinfeld did a fantastic job selling the role and coming across naturally as a seventeen year old trying to figure out life. She has a natural talent for comedic timing and she was just downright enjoyable to watch in this movie as her character Nadine. While being a immature teenager with next-to-no friends who feels like she has the worst life ever, she surprisingly has a lot of depth.
Most of her conflicts she causes herself due to her stubborn and self-loathing personality. These things along with her insecure personality make for a realistic approach to a seventeen year old constantly desiring to fit in but not possessing the social abilities to do so. She is not the most likable person but as the movie progresses she slowly starts becoming more tolerable.
Other conflicts relate to her brother Darian (Blake Jenner) who she is envious and resentful of, best friend Krista (Haley Lu Richardson), and occasionally her mother (Kyra Sedgwick) as well. The cast great job overall and I would have to say there wasn't really any performance from this cast I did not enjoy watching.
I already mentioned that Hailee nailed her role, but it was Woody Harrelson as Nadine's teacher Mr. Bruner that completely shined in every scene he was in. I could have watched Nadine and Mr. Bruner in a classroom for the entire movie, because their comedic chemistry was such a pleasure to watch. Mr. Bruner is a cynical school teacher that is constantly being bombarded by Nadine with the drama and troubles she goes through on a frequent basis. The scenes with his character always had the theater laughing and he added a great touch to this film as her teacher.
There were only a couple of issues I had. While Nadine was an very enjoyable character to watch, it was sometimes hard to believe her situation being as bad as it was. Being played by Hailee Steinfeld, she is not exactly unattractive even without make-up. One scene when she dresses up in the movie she is downright stunning, which makes me wonder why she didn't just dress this way all the time? That is instead of complaining about how much she hated her face, voice, etc. They did a good job attempting to dress her in a way that she would not appear as attractive, but you can only do so much as Hailee is naturally attractive and this made her troubles at times unbelievable.
There would be several scenes in the movie where she would be unable to relate or socialize with others, such as at a party. She would state on several occasions that she hated how insecure she was and hated several of her characteristics, but then scenes later had no issue going swimming alone with a boy for several hours and not appearing socially awkward in the least. These inconsistencies made it a bit hard to narrow down her personality but it did not take away from the entertainment value of the movie.
Overall I really enjoyed the movie and believe it was very well done. Nothing too serious but definitely a breath of fresh air in this type of genre.
8/10 -
The Edge of Seventeen, an American coming-of-age comedy released in 2016, has a great trailer and a decent premise: you are a high school girl trying to navigate the ever-changing world of relationships, expectations, and responsibilities. You are played by Hailee Steinfeld.
In the most favourable reviews, the film has been compared to Fast Times at Ridgemont High (1982), John Hughes's works in general, Clueless (1995), Mean Girls (2004), and Juno (2007). Critics are thus providing a line-up of high school dramas with female protagonists, sharp dialogue, and a cult status. Importantly, many of those pictures were either written or directed by women: think Amy Heckerling, Tina Fey, and Diablo Cody. The Edge of Seventeen, in its turn, is a directorial debut by Kelly Fremon Craig, who also provided the film's script, conceived as early as 2011.
The comparison with the aforementioned teen classics is not entirely unwarranted. The Edge of Seventeen introduces Nadine Franklin (Steinfield), an opinionated high school junior equipped with a crush on an older student, a tumultuous relationship with her family, and a penchant for colourful skirts. Steinfield shines in her role, delivering a full spectrum of emotions and reminding us whose performance in True Grit (2010) made it into an outstanding film. Similar praise cannot be given to the supporting cast, although not through any fault of their own:
With the exception of the protagonist, her history teacher (Woody Harrelson) and, possibly, her father (Eric Keenleyside) - I am saying 'possibly' because Mr Franklin enters the film for half a minute - no one gets to have much of a personality. If John Hughes's classrooms were fully populated by memorable characters ('Bueller?.. Bueller?..'), while Clueless and Mean Girls were exceedingly aware of the social dynamics between different groups, The Edge of Seventeen shies away from making even surface-level observations about its background characters. As a result, everyone is defined by their haircut. That guy Nadine likes? Her feelings must be caused by his floppy fringe.
Another aspect where the film presents a want of balance and credibility is in the lack of consequences experienced by the protagonist. We are aware of the reasons behind her actions, and we trust that she feels bad about some of them - that she sometimes feels bad about existing altogether - but the absence of meaningful reaction from those around her robs the story of resolution.
The Edge of Seventeen could be a very good movie. As it stands, it is only an okay one, a mixture of spot-on delivery and unremarkable plotlines, of clever dialogue and missed potential. -
GET-your-ASS-to-MARS10 June 2018Nobody does high school coming of age movies better than the Americans. Ticks all the boxes, and Woody Harrelson is on form as usual.
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Man0Manit010 November 2023"Edge of Seventeen" offers a refreshing and authentic look into the tumultuous world of adolescence, skillfully balancing drama with touches of humor. The film manages to capture the complexity of interpersonal relationships and the challenges of growing up in the modern era, making it an entertaining and, in many ways, beautiful experience.
Hailee Steinfeld's performance as Nadine, the protagonist, is noteworthy. She manages to convey the complexities of adolescence authentically and touchingly. The chemistry between the characters is palpable, significantly contributing to the authenticity of the story.
A small but memorable contribution comes from Woody Harrelson in the role of Mr. Bruner. His portrayal of the school counselor adds a necessary dose of sarcastic humor and wisdom, elevating the film to a deeper level. Harrelson manages to steal some scenes, and his interaction with Nadine provides a comedic relief that skillfully balances the more intense emotions of the plot.
Kelly Fremon Craig's direction is apt in addressing sensitive themes without falling into clichés. The soundtrack complements the narrative well and helps establish the right atmosphere for each scene.
While the film has moments that shine with originality and emotional depth, some elements of the plot could have been explored more deeply. Despite this, "Edge of Seventeen" manages to resonate with the audience due to its authenticity and the strong performances of its cast, especially Woody Harrelson's standout contribution as Mr. Bruner. With a rating of 7/10, the film offers a touching and, in many ways, charming experience for those looking to explore the complexities of adolescence from an honest and thoughtful perspective. -
nikhilmanahs18 February 2017I 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.