Review of American Teen (2008) by Cody S — 20 Aug 2008

In theory, the documentary film should be a pretty easy slam-dunk for filmmakers, provided theyâ??ve done their homework. Take a subject, preferably one with plenty of emotion or intrigue that lends itself to the realm of cinema, and film what happens. Since there are no actors, and the story is largely left up to those in front of the camera, the end product should be a fairly organic and convincing portrayal of the chosen material. At least thatâ??s the way things should work.

And what better subject matter for a documentary film than the heartbreaking, backstabbing, emotional roller coaster that is high school. American Teen, the new film from writer/director Nanette Burstein (The Kid Stays in the Picture) chronicles the tumultuous lives of five typical Indiana teenagers as they go about their typical Midwest American teenaged lives. Did I mention they were typical teenagers?

Seemingly pulled off the casting couch of the yet to be filmed, but indubitably inevitable remake of John Hughesâ?? Breakfast Club, American Teen features characters that are as conveniently stereotypical characters as the events portrayed during the filmâ??s 95-minute running time.

You have Colin â?? the jock whose only chance of college lies in his on the court performance, Hannah â?? the too cool for school misfit who yearns to be understood, Jake â?? the lonely nerd with a good heart, Megan â?? the undisputed Queen of the Warsaw Community High School Heathers, and Mitch â?? who very well may be the long lost twin of Pretty in Pinkâ??s Blane McDonnagh. And although Iâ??m willing to admit that life in high school does tend to fit into some pretty established formulas, the qualities of these five are so clichéd that they blur the line between stereotyped and scripted.

Iâ??m not suggesting that every film proclaiming itself to be of the documentary genre should present a story untarnished by the guiding hand of a good wordsmith, but the problem with American Teen isnâ??t necessarily that the events onscreen arenâ??t truthful, but itâ??s the effort â?? or lack thereof â?? on the part of the filmmakers to disguise the fact that what we are seeing is little more than a transplanted version of MTVâ??s The Hills. In addition to a plot that offers little in the way of lifeâ??s unexpected surprises, emotions appear manufactured, reactions insincere and events unfold in such a suspect manner that they demand of the audience a rather lofty suspension of disbelief.

American Teen is not a bad film. The characters, however familiar they may be, are likable enough, and itâ??s fun to follow along as their lives intertwine â?? a sort of Magnolia meets My-So-Called-Life â?? capturing the closeness that comes with living in a small town. However, the methods employed by the Burstein and company demonstrates an apparent lack of respect for their audience that cannot be forgiven simply by placing the documentary seal on the film to earn a little undeserved credibility.