One of my students turns 18 so she decided to invite her film classes and film teachers to see The Edge of Seventeen. I wanted to see this film already and it was great to celebrate her birthday with her and my students. Plus the movie was really enjoyable and even related to some of our inside jokes at times. It’s a solid coming of age film with a first time director Kelly Fremon Craig. The Edge of Seventeen gets the Not Quite Golden, Ponyboy rating.
The Edge of Seventeen showcases Hailee Steinfeld perfectly.
Nadine (Hailee Steinfeld) isn’t happy with her life as a high schooler. Her father passed away four years before and she’s never really gotten along with her mother. Darian (Blake Jenner), her brother, is Mr. Perfect and she can’t stand him. That’s what makes it so hard when her best friend, Krista (Haley Lu Richardson) starts dating him.
The plot of this film is pretty straight forward as a coming of age story. It hits on the normal clichés, but it’s the characters that Craig crafted that make the film really enjoyable. Nadine is super uncomfortable in her own skin. She’s got a crush on a guy who doesn’t know she exists. The guy who likes her, Erwin (Hayden Szeto), is stuck in some purgatory just outside of the friend-zone. The only friend she’s got is Krista and their friendship is adorable. Friends since little kids and they’ve always stuck together. In fact, I love how Krista reacts to Nadine’s feelings of betrayal. It’s very organic and doesn’t feel like the often seen melodrama you get in a teenage story.
Steinfeld is on fire in this movie. She plays every line perfect. The emotional beats are delivered expertly whether sad, angry, or funny. Every ounce of charm that pours off of the screen by her sells me on this movie. Her interactions with Kyra Sedgwick who plays her mom, Mona, and Woody Harrelson who plays Mr. Bruner are great. Harrelson in-particular brings the lovable ass-hole he often plays into this film. He’s a much needed comedic element that really works with Nadine’s emotional breakdown.
Final Thoughts on The Edge of Seventeen
There are some great lines of dialogue that Steinfeld gets to deliver. A great moment between her and her brother really shows that Craig knew what she was writing. It expresses things in a way that is not only believable, but endearing and relatable. We all had a really great time at the movie and it’s one I hope people rush out to see. It’s the time of year to support the indie filmmakers.
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