Review of The Spectacular Now (2013) by Patrick L — 08 Feb 2014

"An excellent coming-of-age story featuring two great performances from the young leads".

DVD Movie Review: The Spectacular Now.

Date Viewed: January 20 2014.

Directed By James Ponsoldt (Smashed).

Screenplay By Scott Neustadter and Michael H. Weber, based on the novel by Tim Tharp.

Starring: Miles Teller, Shailene Woodley, Brie Larson, Mary Elizabeth Winstead, Jennifer Jason Leigh, Dayo Okeniyi, Andre Royo, Bob Odenkirk and Kyle Chandler.

"The Spectacular Now" is a terrific coming-of-age movie featuring two great performances from the young leads. So many coming-of-age movies featuring teenagers seem to be either predictable or familiar. This movie is not sentimental. Director James Ponsoldt's film is simply an honest and refreshing take on how teenagers really behave. These two characters talk and think like adults.

"The Spectacular Now" is about a charming high school student named Sutter Keely (Miles Teller), he may have the best looks but he is failing in his classes and he still doesn't know what he wants to do when he grows up.

He spends most of the time attending parties and drinking alcohol. When Sutter's girlfriend Cassidy (Brie Larson) is unable to cope with his drinking and lack of ambition, she dumps him. Sutter is suddenly woken up at a stranger's lawn by Aimee Finecky (Shailene Woodley, of "The Descendants"), they throw newspapers at people's houses and eventually, they become friends.

Aimee is a nice girl who loves reading science fiction and magna, she's a delivery girl who delivers newspapers to people's houses and she helps Sutter with his geometry work. The two grow closer together and they soon develop a relationship. They go to prom together and Aimee soon learns that she got accepted into college in Philadelphia. Even though going to college is the best thing that could ever happened to her, Aimee must still take care of her mother.

Sutter tells Aimee to stand up for her mother and that she is old enough to take care of herself. The two grow more mutual together and they make love for the first time.

Miles Teller and Shailene Woodley are terrific here. They create characters who are real and honest. Jennifer Jason Leigh and Mary Elizabeth Winstead are also really good here as Sutter's mother and sister. "Friday Night Lights" actor Kyle Chandler delivers another strong supporting performance as Sutter's father who Sutter hasn't seen in years.

"The Spectacular Now" first premiered at the Sundance Film Festival last year and it is based on a novel by Tim Tharp. Thanks to a brilliant screenplay by Scott Neustadter and Michael H. Weber and spectacular performances from Miles Teller and Shailene Woodley, they make "The Spectacular Now" one of the best coming-of-age teen movies I've ever seen. If John Hughes were alive today, he would've called "The Spectacular Now", well Spectacular.