Wednesday, July 31, 2013

MIFF: The Spectacular Now

The Melbourne Film Festival is back for another year. Yay! My first pick was a hit at Sundance and from the preview a sure to be hit in my heart.

The Spectacular Now reads like any other coming of age film. Bad boys meets good girl. Against the odds they fall in love. Will he ruin her life or will she save him?

What make this movie different is the subtlety with which it's told. The characters aren't glorified for popularity and there is no makeover for the plain Jane.

Miles Teller (from Footloose remake fame) is brilliant as Sutter Keely. A boy on the verge of manhood and alcoholism, who appears to be the life of every party but whos empty smile would suggest otherwise. When the good hearted Aimee (Shailene Woodley) comes into Sutter's life I felt equally hopeful and fearful of where this would take him.

Not often does a American highschool drama make you care so much for the characters. The Spectacular Now makes you care for these people, about their well being and about their future.

Although the film plays to some high school stereotypes I couldn't help but love it, zits and all!

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