While stories about the high school life are common in countless movies and TV shows, very few perfectly tap into the true language and emotions of high-schoolers. Often, these writers are 30-somethings that rely on crass and sophomoric humor, casts with actors that are 10 years fresh out of high school, or both. Thankfully, The Edge of Seventeen doesn't fall into these traps and gives viewers an exact representation of high school life through its stellar performances and sharp screenplay.
The two highlights of the film come from two fantastic performances. Hailee Steinfeld portrays the struggling and snarky Nadine with the right amount of sympathy and wit that it makes her instantly rootable and likable, and is another great example of Steinfeld's acting talents in her small, yet strong body of work, proving once again that there's a great future for her. The true highlight in terms of the supporting cast would definitely have to be Woody Harrelson as the sardonic history teacher Mr. Bruner. There's a very strong connection between him and Nadine that works due to the chemistry that both actors have, and director Kelly Fremon Craig's script, which gives Harrelson a chance to show off his comedic side, as almost every line he speaks is clever and sharp. Despite his rude remarks, there's still enough of a believability to his character that one can still find him likable and understand why Nadine has such a close bond with him. Thankfully, the rest of the cast is also very strong, with Haley Lu Richardson as Nadine's best friend Krista and Kyra Sedgwick as Nadine's mother Mona also being standouts, and are given great material to flesh them out as relatable and realistic characters.
However, the true MVP in the film would have to go to the script. While its story isn't unique and takes cues from many other high school films, the script is full of great comedy, ranging from smart and snappy dialogue to clever bits of crude humor. The script is also full of great heart, shown through powerful character moments that are relatable and realistic. The film perfectly balances these two elements not just due to the script, but also to its strong pacing, which tells the story in a brisk pace that doesn't feel rushed, taking the right amount of time to showcase both the sharp comedy and powerful character moments.
The Edge of Seventeen is a charming little film that takes full advantage of its great cast by giving them a wonderful script and great characters to play with. It is already a certainty that this will follow in the footsteps of films like Ferris Bueller's Day Off and be loved and appreciated by teens now and far into the future. Hopefully, this will lead to some great results for new director Kelly Fremon Craig and her future in filmmaking. Whatever her next project will be, it is a certainty that it will be just as smart and clever as this debut feature.
Grade: 3.5/5 (Very Good)
