Review of Rebel Without a Cause (1955) by Carlos I — 12 Nov 2014

Rebel Without a Cause is iconic for some, but not for me. Perhaps there are a few things I missed, but that doesn't exactly matter. I can't exactly relate to the characters in it, since it was made to look at a clash of generations taking place in a different time.

The writing might have been pretty solid back in the 1950's, but as a young adult living in today's world, I feel that the writing is simply outdated by today's standards. I've heard that much of the praise was aimed at James Dean's acting, and while I think his performance was pretty good, it doesn't exactly change the overall atmosphere of the movie, which I feel is fairly prosaic, though not without its character.

The drama probably comes from the film recreating a generational culture clash, but I don't exactly relate to any of it, so the film doesn't exactly really move me, save for one scene. While it might be a classic for some, and while it's actually a decent movie, I simply can't relate to it, and that ultimately prevents me from enjoying this film to its full potential.