The Film
When I declared The Edge of Seventeen one of the best films of 2016 and *the* best teen film in decades, people scoffed, and some even laughed in my face. “The silly teen movie with Woody Harrelson?”, they said incredulously. This was in September after I had seen the film at an early, pre-TIFF screening, and long before it was nominated for Golden Globe and DGA awards. I tried to tell these dismissive people that they’d relate to the uncomfortably insecure lead character, Nadine, because in their painfully awkward teenage years they were very much like her (or, in my pitiful case, still very much like her). I said that writer-director Kelly Fremon Craig, like John Hughes before her, accurately and respectfully depicts the manic highs and the intense lows of being a teenager, portrayed by a cast that belong in a Brat Pack of their very own. I could have also mentioned that it’s the first mainstream film to have an Asian man play the romantic lead (Canada’s very own Hayden Szeto, in a breakout performance). Not to mention it features a tour de force acting showcase by triple-threat Hailee Steinfeld (Pitch Perfect 2, True Grit). All of this may sound a tad over the top but then isn’t the teenage experience a bit over the top too? You feel all the feels that much more, which is how I felt about every moment of The Edge of Seventeen.
Special Features
The home entertainment package is, sadly, light on the bonus features but it does feature a winsome 5 minute long blooper reel and over 4 minutes of deleted scenes. Hopefully the film is given a second chance on Blu-ray and a new home entertainment release can be compiled to include a commentary track and more for this super fan.
Overall Brief Take
The Edge of Seventeen is one of the best films of 2016. You’ll love it, I promise!
The Edge of Seventeen is currently available on Blu-ray and DVD.
1 comment
I’m going to watch it! Thanks!