The Edge of Seventeen (2016)

[CJohn]

Discuss it

[Maxmoser3]

Very cute movie! Hailee Stenfield and Woddy Harrelson were great in this! The supporting cast especially the one Nadine ends up with in the end(Erwin), and it's a believable cast as well! The comedy and drama work well together, and  it's a very relatable teen angst film at times with some heart and moments that we deal with in life. The Edge Of Seventeen is a very good teen comedy drama, and I recommend it! Grade: high B+. 

[filmlover]

A terrific addition to the coming-of-age genre that perfectly reflects what the dreaded age of 17 is like. No matter what your age is, I dare one not to see some of themselves of what they were like when they were the same age as our protagonist, Nadine, who is brought to life in a truly wonderful performance from Hailee Steinfeld (finally capitalizing on the promise of her breakthrough in True Grit after a series of bland performances since then). As in the best teen films, a great supporting cast of respected players capably stays within orbit around Steinfeld, with strong performances coming from Blake Jenner, Kyra Sedgwick, and an especially sly turn from Woody Harrelson. It really is a shame that this isn't going to find much of an audience in theaters, but it's such a winning movie with an absolutely sparkling lead performance that it's bound to find one on DVD eventually. A-

[Webslinger]

Put simply, The Edge of Seventeen is the best teen movie since Juno. It's frequently laugh-out-loud funny, but it also doesn't lose sight of its heart and authenticity. To that end, Hailee Steinfeld is terrific in the leading role. Her performance here rivals even her Oscar-nominated debut in True Grit in terms of polish and accomplishment. She communicates protagonist Nadine's feelings with acerbic wit, but never loses sight of the character's vulnerability. Despite Nadine's occasionally prickly sensibilities, Steinfeld is a joy to watch from start to finish, and she goes a long way toward making this film feel as poignant as it is hilarious.

 

A-

 

Stray observations:

 

1.) This has to have the best non-original soundtrack in a while. Particularly, I loved the juxtaposition of Aimee Mann's "Save Me" playing in Nadine's room with Miike Snow's "Genghis Khan" playing in Ervin's room; it definitely goes a long way toward setting up Nadine as an angsty old soul who doesn't fit in with her peers and Ervin as someone who is cooler than he initially appears.

 

2.) Two of Woody Harrelson's lines from Zombieland would have been perfect fits at given points in this movie: "...and I'm sensing you're a bit of a bitch..." and "I'm not really good with goodbyes, so... that'll do, pig."

 

3.) I was actually pretty surprised by what a soft R it was. I'm guessing that the filmmakers played it a little safe in the event that the distributor that picked it up would want to cut it for a PG-13, but I was expecting much more vulgarity. As is, only a few f-bombs and a couple of more sexually suggestive frames are about all that would have to be altered to land it in more commercially friendly PG-13 waters.

[La Binoche]

SPOILERS BELOW: 

 

This is a movie I had a lot of problems with but would still recommend. My main issue is that despite Stenfield's strong performance, I had trouble warming up to her and her character. I often found her whiny and annoying and the movie peaks and starts to meander after she breaks up with her best friend. Maybe that was the point, for the movie to feel aimless when she does, but I wanted it to maintain a stronger narrative drive. I thought the best, most complete and complex character was the brother: I liked how Nadine views him vs who he really is.

 

Still, for the most part it's smart and engaging, and how many good teen comedies do we get nowadays? I'd give it a B 

[AniNate]

I do think the film felt pretty aimless for a good chunk, as it seemed the whole plot was just to lay as much shit on the protagonist as possible for 90 minutes. However, the resolution (predictable as it may have been) and message drew out a wave of emotions from me, and I think it's an important film for anyone who is going through rough times and feels like no one cares about them. Steinfeld gives a great performance and Harrelson's brutal honesty shtick is always good for a few laughs

[The Panda]

This was a great coming of age film, one of the better of its genre actually.  The performances all hit the spot exactly, it really does feel like you're watching life play out.  The film is relatable, and all of the laughs are genuine.  There aren't comic one liners and over-the-top sight gags, it's humor that comes from honest moments and brings really solid, genuine laughs.

 

Steinfield really shines in this, and shows she really needs to be a thing (if that wasn't obvious from True Grit), because she really understands how to create a character.  Harrelson is hilarious, and provides some great character moments.  I also thought the guy who played Erwin had a bit of a breakout role with this, he definitely nailed the part.

 

I did feel like the film could feel aimless at points though, while I reckon that's intended, it can make it drag a little bit near the middle.  I think the message near the end though resonates very well, and offers something to anyone who goes to watch it.

 

The film explores the brink of life's transition to adulthood very well, and it's shame it's not going to find much of an audience, it deserves to.

 

A-

[filmlover]

47 minutes ago, ThePanda A Star Wars Story said:

 I also thought the guy who played Erwin had a bit of a breakout role with this, he definitely nailed the part.

I agree!

 

Also, Blake Jenner had a pretty good breakout year himself between this and Everybody Wants Some!!

[Blankments]

The Edge of Seventeen is the rare teen movie that comes along that gets it. The heartbreak, the drama, the emotion, and the truth. When you're a teen, it all revolves around you, and that attitude spills over to others about themselves. Craig's incredibly intelligent script nails the awkwardness of living with a severe lack of self-esteem when everything falls apart. The script doesn't have a single unsympathetic character, giving even the smallest characters decent motivation to act the way they do in a realistic way, no matter how painful that may be.

 

Steinfeld is brilliant as Nadine, functioning as a typical teen protagonist that manages to be both likable and insensitive. The script helps a lot but Steinfeld sells otherwise melodramatic scenes with perfect earnestness. There's not a weak link in the cast though. Jenner and Sedgwick both are perfect as Nadine's family, anchoring the film's important look at family, and Harrelson and Szeto steal the show as a snarky teacher and a lovesick friend respectively.

 

It's hard to fault The Edge of Seventeen. It's also a film that's hard to critique. Despite a few cliches here and there, it feels startlingly real. Craig's direction and script is fantastic, especially for a debut film. The Edge of Seventeen is a truly delightful and surprisingly human movie that might be one of the best entries in the teen movie genre in years. A

[TMP]

Looooooooved this movie. Felt like a much better version of Perks of being a wallflower. Might be the best Steinfeld's ever been too. 

A/A+

[Goffe]

Shame that Edge of Seventeen steps on some very worn-out cliches to tell its story, the subplot where she has a crush on a stranger only to find out he's an asshole and discover her true love was beside her all along was especially excruciating, because it may be the best depiction of social anxiety I have ever seen on film. I say that as someone who occasionally has panic attacks. It's also more hilarious than any comedy I have seen this year. Woody Harrelson is my hero.

Edited February 1, 2017 by Goffe

[AniNate]

Her behavior at the party was pretty much me. 

[Daxtreme]

I have a soft spot for well-written coming of age movies, so when I heard about this movie, naturally I had to watch it.

 

So, I liked the film, I thought it was a pretty good entry into the genre even though the romantic movie cliches were used often and the story was predictable, but really, there are 2 things that really set this movie apart --

 

1. The acting, especially from the main protagonist.

2. The sharp dialogue.

 

Hailee Steinfield is absolutely amazing, magnetic on screen, and I cannot wait to see more of her in movies to come. I do feel she was slightly miscast in this movie, however, as she doesn't look like a social "outcast" to me, but at the same time, that's just classic Hollywood casting at work here, movies of this genre are always subjected to this.

 

But boy, I might have to watch that 2010 True Grit remake now if that girl got oscar nominated for it. Easily the best performance I've seen in a coming of age film, and she's what... 18?  

 

Mark that name folks! Hopefully she chooses her projects well in the future, because damn, talent like this, can't let it go to waste!

 

Verdict -- Overall B+ (A for the performances and dialogue alone)

[filmlover]

This shouldn't have been completely ignored like it was. Really hope it finds an audience on DVD.

[TheMovieman]

On 11/20/2016 at 5:50 PM, La Binoche said:

SPOILERS BELOW: 

 

This is a movie I had a lot of problems with but would still recommend. My main issue is that despite Stenfield's strong performance, I had trouble warming up to her and her character. I often found her whiny and annoying and the movie peaks and starts to meander after she breaks up with her best friend. Maybe that was the point, for the movie to feel aimless when she does, but I wanted it to maintain a stronger narrative drive. I thought the best, most complete and complex character was the brother: I liked how Nadine views him vs who he really is.

 

Still, for the most part it's smart and engaging, and how many good teen comedies do we get nowadays? I'd give it a B 

 

Pretty much this. Stenfield was fantastic but her character was, at times, insufferable (which probably was the point). I did like the soundtrack so much that I went ahead and bought it.

[dxmatrixdt]

Saw it recently.  Not really my type of movie.  I still respect it and give it a B.  It does a wonderful job of capturing life the same way American Honey and Moonlight too.  I would clump all three together.  Maybe a high B then.  87

Edited February 9, 2017 by Matrix4You

[WrathOfHan]

Fucking amazing movie. It might be my favorite of 2016. 9.5/10 | A

[filmlover]

6 minutes ago, WrathOfHan said:

Fucking amazing movie. It might be my favorite of 2016. 9.5/10 | A

[Ethan Hunt]

On 2/14/2017 at 11:02 PM, WrathOfHan said:

Fucking amazing movie. It might be my favorite of 2016. 9.5/10 | A

Yeah Wrath my man! (Still think I've got it behind La La Land but ooooo boy is it close)

[Napoleon]

Very funny movie, worth checking.