Studio:
A24
Director:
James Ponsoldt (SMASHED)
Writer: Scott
Neustadter & Michael Weber (500 DAYS OF SUMMER)
Source Material: Tim Tharp (novel)
Cast:
Miles Teller, Shailene Woodley, Jennifer Jason Leigh, Kyle Chandler
Logline:
A hard-partying high school senior's philosophy on life changes when he
meets the not-so-typical "nice girl."
Trailer: http://spectacularnowmovie.com/
THE SPECTACULAR NOW is a coming of age story
about Sutter (TELLER), a life of the party type poised to peak in high school, until
he meets the girl next door, Aimee (WOODLEY).
The story follows Sutter and Aimee’s courtship, but also delves into
deeper issues like alcoholism, prescription drug abuse and absentee-fathers. Teller does a great job balancing all three by
making this would be douchebag character likeable and sympathetic. Similarly, you want to root for Woodley, as
her only flaw is that she is not assertive.
And though she seems to jump that hurdle mid-way through the movie, she
reverts back to being a pushover by the end.
Under-baked leading lady aside, the film does deliver some honest
moments and great comedic beats. It is also
worth noting that I did not read Tharp’s novel, but I am told that at the end, it
takes a more nihilistic perspective than the film.
The movie is worth seeing in theaters if your
high school experience at all reflected this story, as it will make you
nostalgic for simpler times. If not, I
would stream it or wait for it to come on cable.
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