Edge Of Seventeen (2016)

Starring: Hailee Steinfeld, Woody Harrelson, Kyra Sedgwick, Haley Lu Richardson, Blake Jenner

Director: Kelly Fremon Craig

Nadine (Steinfeld) is a teen with one friend, navigating the wilds of high school and growing up. But when her best friend starts dating her brother, she starts to come unravelled. It’s a drama with very witty, clever dialogue that captures the essence of growing up, and feeling like you don’t belong.

As always, Steinfeld is wonderful, able to portray so much and such a natural performer. Here she gets to show off her comedic abilities, as Nadine, who struggles with, well, everything. She’s a character who is often unintentionally funny and self absorbed, and yet also relatable and likeable. Harrelson, as her long suffering teacher, is wonderful foil,  delivering witty and sarcastic bon mots, and sometimes advice.

Actually, everyone in this film is really good. Richardson comes across as a warm and loyal girl, Jenner is a firm presence with his own internal struggles, and Sedgwick has the fragile, warm, gentleness as a single mother.

The film is full of laugh out loud moments, when Nadine’s tongue or imagination run away with her. It captures really well the way that teens are caught up in their own drama, selfish and self-centred without meaning to be. How they can be so naive, and yet think they’re worldly. I really liked it, and found myself giggling or remembering my own teen years quite a few times, and found my heart warmed by the end. I guess I really enjoyed how awkward and emotional Nadine is, she’s a really smart, really nice kid, and her struggles are pretty funny. Great film.

See It If: you were ever a teenage girl, or if you ever felt like you wished you could belong. Heartwarming and hilarious.