Another film that was somewhat difficult to watch is the teen angst drama The Edge of Seventeen.  This comic drama centers on awkward teenager Nadine (Hailee Steinfeld), whose life becomes ever more complicated when her only friend Krista (Haley Lu Richardson) begins dating her brother Darian (Blake Jenner).  Nadine hates her brother, doesn’t like her mother (Kyra Sedgwick), is still sad about the death of her father, and the only person she ever tries to talk to is a weird teacher (Woody Harrelson).  I recall that teenage years are tough, but this seems maximally overstated.

Kelly Fremon Craig wrote and directed this story, which insists that Nadine is at the peak of awkwardness, unable or unwilling to make friends, and hypersensitive about just about everything.  That is a realistic premise, but it is not executed properly.  First, Nadine is a hottie.  Anyone that attractive, even with the bad hairstyle they gave her for awhile, would be popular.  She’s smart, relatively funny, good looking and not shy; teenage boys would be crazy about her.  Casting pretty Hailee Steinfeld, no matter how talented she is, undermines the character.

My second issue is that Nadine is a selfish idiot.  Everything that happens to her she brings upon herself.  This could be a cautionary tale about how teenage girls ought not to act — but instead it is a coming-of-age tale in which Nadine finally realizes how miserable she has made everyone around her and cries about it.  I have little patience for her antics, particularly her ridiculously salacious text to Nick (Alexander Calvert), offering to have sex in the Petland stock room.  Comedy is one thing, stupidity is something else entirely.  Then she gets mad when he actually wants to?  This is bad writing.

Is the film realistic and convincing about horribly awkward teenage angst?  Yes.  Is it well acted?  Reasonably.  Younger audiences may find it relatable and even profound.  I did not, and hope I have explained why.  I expected something better, and I didn’t really appreciate Nadine’s relentless poutiness.  Grow up, girl.  ☆ ☆.  20 November 2016.