Review: THE EDGE OF SEVENTEEN Couldn't Decide What Kind of Film It Wanted to Be
Every year or so, another movie comes out about how hard it is being a teen. Those darn parents that pay for your existence, not being one of the popular kids, relationships, etc. The Edge of Seventeen is just that movie. I was really intrigued by this film because it was produced by the legendary James L. Brooks, whom I worship. I’ve also seen ads with reviews praising it and comparing it to Mean Girls and Juno, two quintessential “awkward teen movies.” Unfortunately, this movie definitely did not live up to the hype.
Hailee Steinfield plays Nadine, a typical teen who is always comparing herself to her older, cooler brother. When her best and only friend starts going out with said popular brother, Nadine begins to feel more alone and depressed than ever. She turns to her favorite teacher/father figure, Mr. Bruner (played by Woody Harrelson), for guidance and company. This relationship is probably one of the best and funniest parts of the film, with Harrelson and Steinfeld delivering hilarious dialogue back and forth. But despite the occasionally well-delivered joke and Harrelson’s dry humor, this film falls flat.
For starters, Nadine isn’t a really likable character. Sure, she’s funny and pretty, but all she does is complain about how awkward she is and how terrible her life is. And while she is struggling with some major issues as well as navigating the frightening world of adolescence, to me, her complaints don’t draw any sympathy. She just sounds like a spoiled brat who lashes out when her mom doesn’t pay enough attention to her.
Another big thing that bothers me about these teen movies is that all the actors they cast are all really attractive, even the supposed “losers.” That was the problem here. Nadine is a perfectly attractive girl with a quirky-but-cute sense of style and a sharp, snarky wit. That, to me, seems like a recipe for popularity, or at least a decent amount of friends. But apparently Nadine only has one friend, which isn’t really explained other than Nadine’s tendency to be “awkward.” Raise your hand if you never felt awkward once during your teen years. Yeah, that’s what I thought.
And while this film is about an awkward teenager, I feel as though they could have shared a very important message about teen depression, which is a serious issue on the rise. However, while it is brought up from time to time that Nadine is struggling with depression, the topic is mostly skirted around and never really resolved. This film couldn’t decide if it wanted to be a light-hearted, feel-good comedy or a sensitive, emotional look at the struggles of growing up. Some films are good at playing both sides, but this one just didn’t do it for me.