| Overall Grade: |
B+ |
|
| Story: |
A- |
|
|
| Acting: |
A |
|
|
| Direction: |
A- |
|
|
| Visuals: |
B |
|
|
Smart and Sincere Movie about Growing up.
by ed (movies profile)
Apr 28, 2009
This is a great movie for many reasons. First, it does not have the glorified Hollywood high school story. It feels like real high school characters that I have met and seen. Some scenes are very agonizing to go over. But that is what really happens in life. Secondly, the dialogs are amazingly well written, the main characters are very believable, especially Ginny Ryerson character. Wow, Anna Kendrick's perform is amazing to watch. She could be the next Ellen Page from Juno. I wish her the best and all the other performers in the movie. Third, some scenes are uniquely funny and sad. The movie takes you through an emotional roller coaster, suspenseful at times, and the self-realization. It gives a memorable yet melancholy impression of kids growing up in the split up family. If the father character was more revealed in the story, it could have been a father and son movie. Good thing though, it is focused on Kids as the center of the story.
Here are some of my minor criticisms about the movie. First, it glorifies drinking behaviors of teens without consequences. (a short scene). A kid throwing neighbor's cello into someone's house has major consequences when I was a teen. It is funny, I have to admit. But without consequences of his action, the main character Hal becomes just a self-pitting emotionally driven, careless kid who is not worthy of supporting. Perhaps harsh words, but it destroys the emotional bond with the audience. At least it did for me. (for a short time). Second,the pacific asian characters are stereotyped unfortunately. It is certainly rare to see english speaking asian american characters (especially male) in any u.s. made movies. But even with good intentions, they play a small consistent roles: Loud-mouth, sex-starved perverse characters. Long Duk Dong again?
Over all, I like this movie. Dialogs are very funny and clever, characters are fun, brings back memories about high school, and feel good about the characters even long after the images fade from my cerebral cortex and into my subconsciousness. Too bad it is rated R. I could have gone to see the movie with my whole family. |
My Public Profile 
