Once in a while, a coming-of-age movie rolls into town that generates excitement across the four corners of the film industry – think Juno, The Perks of Being a Wallflower or even Richard Linklater’s acclaimed Boyhood.
One film hoping to do cement its place in that echelon is The Edge of Seventeen, Kelly Fremon Craig’s directorial debut that features an endearing performance from Pitch Perfect 2 star Hailee Steinfeld as Nadine, a cripplingly awkward teenager struggling to navigate her way through such universal obstacles as high school drama and sexual awakening.
It’s by no means a radical departure from convention, nor is it likely to reinvent the coming-of-age genre, but buzz for The Edge of Seventeen is high, and we’re inclined to believe that Craig’s movie can find some wiggle room to carve out a story that feels refreshingly original. There’s also Woody Harrelson’s performance as a foul teacher to look forward to.
Rounding out the cast list for the movie are Hayden Szeto, Kira Sedgwick, Blake Jenner (Everybody Wants Some!!) and Haley Lu Richardson (The Bronze). Plus, with a title like that, we’ll be mighty disappointed if we don’t see Steinfeld (and possibly Harrelson?) belting out some Stevie Nicks for good measure.
The Edge of Seventeen opens on November 18.
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.