Review of The Edge of Seventeen (2016) by Glenn G — 28 Nov 2016

OUR MISS BROOKS - My Review of THE EDGE OF SEVENTEEN (4 Stars).

James L. Brooks has been behind some of my favorite movies, including TERMS OF ENDEARMENT and BROADCAST NEWS. He has even fully infused his quirky voice into screenplays he didn't write himself, such as BIG and SAY ANYTHING. Despite such spectacular failures as SPANGLISH, HOW DO YOU KNOW and I'LL DO ANYTHING, Brooks, when he's firing on all pistons, remains one of our most delightfully humanistic filmmakers.

Enter newbie writer/director Kelly Fremon Craig, who brought her screenplay for THE EDGE OF SEVENTEEN to Brooks, and lo and behold, he granted it the Gracie Films seal of approval and acted as one of the film's producers. This is not a common occurrence, so my antennae went up when I heard about this film. I can see why he responded to the material, as this is one delightful, complex comedy with a spectacular performance by Hailee Steinfeld that almost stands neurosis-to-neurosis with Holly Hunter's breakout role in BROADCAST NEWS. While the subject matter doesn't have the depth of Brooks' best work, this is a teen film that comes really really close to holding its own against SIXTEEN CANDLES and THE BREAKFAST CLUB.

Steinfeld plays Nadine, an angry teen whose disappointment with life stems from a family tragedy. Even before that, however, she would present as antisocial, especially compared to her oh-so-perfect teen heartthrob brother Darian (Blake Jenner of GLEE and EVERYBODY WANTS SOME). She has one pal, Krista (Haley Lu Richardson, so wonderful in THE BRONZE and assured here), who creates a rift in the friendship when she starts dating Darian. Not helping matters much is Nadine's distracted mom (Kyra Sedgwick), whose mid-life crisis has reached peak code levels.

With her young life in turmoil, Nadine frequently seeks solace from her laconic history teacher (a perfectly droll Woody Harrelson, clearly relishing every line he's given), but his style of support is to outdo her in the "I'm More Dead Inside Than You" Competition. Her threats of suicide can barely get a rise out of him, but his companionship proves invaluable nonetheless.

When the story proper begins, Nadine seems stuck in her life. She's carnally interested in a dreamy guy at school yet she has so much more chemistry with Erwin, an equally socially awkward classmate played with never-ending charm by Hayden Szeto. Anyone who has ever seen a romantic comedy knows where all of this is going, but it's the journey that makes this film so special. Additionally, Steinfeld commands this film with such assurance, daring at times to be completely unsympathetic yet managing to expose a raw heart. Without the Act 1 tragedy, I may have found the entire film to be annoying, but it's what informs Nadine's worldview so vividly. She embodies the type of person who seems to be drowning yet shows little glimmers of the truly kind person trying to push her way to the waters' surface.

While not an accomplished visual stylist, as a first time director, Craig shows great skill at letting each moment breathe, savoring that deliciousness of real human interactions. At times, it descends into sitcom beats, not unlike Brooks' style. After all, he DID bring the world THE MARY TYLER MOORE SHOW, TAXI, and THE SIMPSONS, among others, so that style can't help but find its way into material he produces. Still, there's a true beating heart here that made this a film to relish. I don't think people will be talking about this film in the same way they do about John Hughes' classics, but it's a more than worthy introduction to Kelly Fremon Craig. At the screening I attended, she cited Brooks as a writing hero of hers, and the fact that she managed to snag him to produce her first feature was a dream come true. With THE EDGE OF SEVENTEEN, she shows she's more than capable of hanging with him.

It's funny, this is the third piece of popular culture with EDGE OF SEVENTEEN in the title, the Stevie Nicks song, the wonderful 1998 film EDGE OF SEVENTEEN, and now, this. I guess there's something so evocative about the words that inspires such lovely work.