"Edge of Seventeen" TIFF premiere/ 100% RT/ out Nov 18th
THE EDGE OF SEVENTEEN is a new coming-of-age movie in the vein of Sixteen Candles and The Breakfast Club - an honest, candid, often hilarious look at what it's like to grow up as a young woman in today's modern world. Everyone knows that growing up is hard, and life is no easier for high school junior Nadine (Hailee Steinfeld), who is already at peak awkwardness when her all-star older brother Darian (Blake Jenner) starts dating her best friend Krista (Haley Lu Richardson). All at once, Nadine feels more alone than ever, until the unexpected friendship of a thoughtful boy (Hayden Szeto) gives her a glimmer of hope that things just might not be so terrible after all. The film also stars Kyra Sedgwick as Nadine's well-meaning but completely ineffective mother, and Woody Harrelson as Nadine's History teacher, mentor and reluctant sounding board. The Edge of Seventeen is produced by Academy Award winner James L. Brooks - the filmmaker behind big-screen, character-driven classics such as Terms of Endearment, Broadcast News, Big, Say Anything, The Simpsons, Jerry Maguire and As Good as It Gets.
Review Samples so far:
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Fast, full-hearted and graced with a beautifully modulated lead turn by Hailee Steinfeld, the movie takes the risk of playing it straight and sincere - and the risk pays off.
Hollywood Reporter
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Pick a god, any god, and thank them for this movie.
indieWIRE
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The Edge of Seventeen isn't John Hughes for a new generation - it's much more honest than that.
Dan Schindel
The Film Stage
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In the tradition of teen classics like Clueless, Mean Girls, and Juno comes The Edge of Seventeen, a brilliant coming-of-age comedy with anger issues.
Kristy Puchko
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Steinfeld makes Nadine a hellion you can't tear yourself away from. She isn't just the star of "The Edge of Seventeen" - she's its center of gravity.
Hailee is gorgeous, so her playing the ugly duckling, awkward, unwanted, desperate girl doesn't really feel natural to me. But hey, Hollywood. Pretty people only zone, even for roles that are meant to be not-so-attractive.
I'll watch it anyway though, it looks cool. I loved the scenes with the teacher, I LOVE him. Didn't love that dramatic ass exchange she had with her brother in the trailer, but w/e
Hailee is gorgeous, so her playing the ugly duckling, awkward, unwanted, desperate girl doesn't really feel natural to me. But hey, Hollywood. Pretty people only zone, even for roles that are meant to be not-so-attractive.
Reviews say you're completely wrong.
That yes, she's very pretty, but she purposefully pushes people away by being constantly bitchy and insulting everyone which makes them unlikely to want to spend time with her. I mean, on Veronica Mars, we weren't supposed to think Kristen Bell isn't beautiful, but people hated Veronica anyway because of non-looks reasons. Or, Buffy was more or less in a loser crowd; Queen Cordelia even got dragged down just by dating Xander.
That yes, she's very pretty, but she purposefully pushes people away by being constantly bitchy and insulting everyone which makes them unlikely to want to spend time with her. I mean, on Veronica Mars, we weren't supposed to think Kristen Bell isn't beautiful, but people hated Veronica anyway because of non-looks reasons. Or, Buffy was more or less in a loser crowd; Queen Cordelia even got dragged down just by dating Xander.
All of that would work if she wasn't compared to Danny DeVito in the trailer. The character is clearly supposed to be an ugly girl yet she's played by one of the most beautiful young girls in Hollywood. I'm not writing the movie off because of it and I'm sure Hailee did a good job (it looks like it), but it just doesn't feel right to me.