Review of Palo Alto (2014) by Kevin H — 31 May 2014
Gorgeously modern yet nostalgic at the same time. It's based on a short story collection, and feels like it in the best sense of the phrase.
Moments follow a timeline but seem more propelled by actual teenaged wandering and encroaching adulthood than a conventional coming-of-age formula.
But I can see this as being a divisive movie. Are the characters better for having the flaws of actual teenagers, or just more annoying? Is the cinematography beautiful, or too precious? And what of the dialogue? On one hand it's refreshingly unfiltered but on the other hand it could be read as forced.
What these opposite opinions agree at is that Palo Alto tries to be both realistic and stylized at the same time. For some that'll be a flaw, but for others including myself its one of its great strengths.
In a postmodern age where even cartoons address adolescence ironically, Palo Alto is unique in that it pitches young adulthood not just seriously, but meaningfully.
As much about pain as the movie is, I left the theater feeling more hopeful about my own oftentimes hazy future. Many will probably cringe, many more will likely at least appreciate the movie's craft, but for a lucky few it'll hit a certain chord that feels just like a warm summer night from long ago.
This review of Palo Alto (2014) was written by Kevin H on 31 May 2014.
Palo Alto has generally received positive reviews.
Was this review helpful?
