Review of Flipped (2010) by Ryan M — 09 Jan 2011

6.2/10.

Rob Reiner's "Flipped" understands a thing or two about teen life. The film consistently switches from the "female" point of view to the "male" point of view; which definitely makes the film a whole lot more thoughtful than most films of its type. Unlike most teen dramas, "Flipped" does not revolve around ironic humor or the crass in-jokes of the other children that surround the main characters. Instead, "Flipped" aims to get inside the characters' heads, and it succeeds marvelously. For the most part, "Flipped" is a fairly entertaining movie. It's a mix of light humor and light emotion, and therefore it's nothing special but it's certainly charming in one way or another. There's something endearing about this familiar but engaging flick, and perhaps it all has something to do with how it was helmed. Reiner's latest is based on a young adult novel of the same name, which also understood how teens work. Reiner works with the material to good enough effect that he does indeed produce a pretty decent film out of it all, and I wouldn't have had it any other way. I guess I enjoyed the film a bit more as it went along, since it took me the entire film to realize just how much I can relate to the thing. I took some time to observe Bryce and Juli's classmates. I've seen just about every one of them, although perhaps in another body. What can I say: they were the kind of generic teens that annoy all of us; Bryce, Julie, and I included. For all who have lived alongside that social crowd, "Flipped" is a recommending viewing. I think that all of us can relate somehow to the film, as long as we have been to Elementary School, Middle School, and High School. Even if we haven't, there's definitely some entertainment to be found here. At times, the film felt a tad slow for me and it never hit the emotional note that it may have hoped for, but it is a well acted and somewhat heartfelt drama. The fact that "Flipped" tells a story which could easily be mimicked in real life doesn't make it the special film that some may want it to be, but it's nice to see that someone in Hollywood gives a damn about making familiar waters less of a burden to tread.

Bryce and Juli are two children of this generation. They meet when Bryce moves into a new neighborhood. Juli is eccentric and outgoing as a young child while Bryce is shy and unable to control his emotions and feelings. At first sight, Juli thinks its love. However, Bryce thinks otherwise. For a good portion of their early school years, Bryce and Juli look at each-other with opposing view points. Juli longs for that one kiss, while Bryce consistently tries to avoid that particular moment. Thus, Bryce makes some poor decisions. Bryce comes from a family in which his father is judgmental, which leads him to make assumptions about Juli's life-style. Juli comes from a middle-class family; not poor, not near rich. Her yard is always messy with plants growing about rapidly, although her family life is fairly decent. Her father is caring as is her mother, while her father's brother is mentally deficient. This makes life somewhat hard for Juli, yet she continues to try hard at making that one connection with Bryce. Over time, problems arise. Juli looses interest in Bryce. On the contrary, he begins to take an interest in her. This is the set-up for most of the film, and it's meant to be....well, I guess it's sort of meant to be ironic. And it is, for the most part. The story itself has no problems in its telling; it's just nothing too fascinating. There are complications in this ever-growing and ever-failing relationship between the film's two characters, although none of them can accumulate to the note of emotional brilliance that it tries to strike. This is by no means a bad film; in fact, I found it to be fairly entertaining and sporadically endearing. The problem is that it tries to be a bit too "cute" for its own good. Maybe that's not the film's thought; it's just how the story goes. It matters not to me though, since I'm not the biggest supporter of narrative cuteness. It's not really a problem, but then again when is it ever a good thing? Anyways, "Flipped" is teen drama done (mostly) right. It's a pretty forgettable watch, but it's entertaining for what it is. Nothing memorable to see here. Just watch it the one time and, if you choose, send it on its way. That would be my approach.

The teen actors here are extremely good for their roles. They make the teen life-style entertaining to watch, and they keep it from going to deep in terms of pretentious complexity. I particularly enjoyed watching Madeline Carrol as Juli. There was something way beyond "cute" and "endearing" about this girl's performance. It felt more like understanding. It's the kind of role that needed to be played well. Additionally, Callan McAuliffe portrays Bryce with a good amount of inspiration AND understanding. The two stars of the film do indeed seem to have some sort of insight on how Teen life works nowadays. That is why the film manages to work despite its flaws, and I think that half of the charm is delivered through the performances. I also liked the majority of the supporting cast. And yes, that does include the generic teens. They made me BELIEVE it. I am of course just joking, because it is not too hard to be an asshole. I think we all know how to do it. It's a matter of doing right, and I tell you, few actors can really get the job done. Luckily, "Flipped" knows what its doing. Awesome!

"Flipped" provides two points of view; each of the opposite gender. One moment, we'll hear Juli tell the tale, while another Bryce might be telling it. This gives us some decent insight to how these characters think, and it somewhat helps us to CARE when things go wrong. Everything about the "craft" of "Flipped" is about average. Cinematography is nothing too awesome. Music is genuinely fitting. Characters fit in decently or even well enough. It's an entertaining package, even if I'm already going to forget it. "Flipped" may be a charmer, but it's almost too much of one that it stops itself from being one of the best films of 2010. It could have been a definite win, but it just barely earns its stripes because there was stuff to relate to. Like I said, it's pretty entertaining. It had moments of pure, utter boredom. I will admit that much. But when it's interesting, it's interesting ENOUGH. And that's quite enough for me. Like most teen dramas, "Flipped" is quite humorous as well as dramatic. Most of the good humor is light but effective in tone, while the drama can range from mediocre to just barely good. Some moments just didn't strike me as hypnotic in their quality. It just wasn't that sort of film. I think it was made to be a quite, forgettable piece of entertainment, and that's about it. If that is what Reiner wanted, then he was a HUGE success. And while it's not truly a "good" or "great" film, "Flipped" is plenty of fun. It's a recommendation, but not a huge one. See it if the concept appeals to you.

I think this is the best you can do with "Flipped". These kinds of stories are best told within pages rather than on film. Perhaps this is because there's a certain way that a literary artist paints his picture that makes it so darned interesting. I liked the way that "Flipped" was told; as a book at least. The film was nothing special, and in my opinion, neither was the novel. Of course, I admired the novel just a bit more. It's just that the film adaptation is just barely missing some of the raw, natural charm. Nevertheless, it's a satisfying adaptation. It captures the purpose to why the book exists, and the plot is still understanding of the teenage mind. It will appeal to different people on different levels. It may soar for some, it may fail for others, and for those like me, it will just pass by like most films. It's entertaining, pleasant, calm, and never feels like the pretentious drama that it should be. I like how Reiner's film never tries to be all high and mighty. It never thinks that it's more than it is. Reiner's film understands young human beings and I (kind of) like that. It's a flawed movie, but it's a good time if you choose to view it in a positive way. I don't blame those who dislike it for not enjoying it; I mean, it's completely familiar and forgettable. But sometimes, it's nice to just enjoy a film for what it is. That is what I did here. That is why I kind of enjoyed myself. That is why "Flipped" is a satisfactory viewing, even if it is, as I said, forgettable.