THE EDGE OF SEVENTEEN
US, 2016, 104 minutes, Colour.
Hailee Steinfeld, Haley Lu Richardson, Blake Jenner, Kyra Sedgwick, Woody Harrelson, Hayden Szeto, Alexander Calvert, Eric Keenleyside.
Directed by Kelly Fremon Craig.
There is an edge in using the word “edge� in the title of this film. Nadine, the central character, is approaching 17 with all the problems of adolescence, self-image, self-deprecation, touches of narcissism, experiences of depression, sexual talk and inexperience and the potential for shock. But this also indicates the meaning of “edge� in Nadine’s character and how she lives her life – she says she looks out from above on herself and does not like what she sees and realises that she will have to spend the rest of her life with herself. And, she over-dramatises with suicide notes.
One of the difficulties in responding to the film is that it has quite a lot of comic touches, even satiric touches in its portrayal of Nadine’s character. On the other hand, the film really serves as a case study, and that makes it very serious in its implications.
Haille Steinfeld is Nadine.She bursts into her teacher’s office threatening suicide and then starts to tell the story, in flashbacks, of how she arrived at this desperate stage. As a seven-year-old little girl she is bullied at school and continues to compare herself with her always-confident and successful older brother, Darian (Blake Jenner). Fortunately, another little girl befriends her through a caterpillar and they become strong friends for the next 10 years. There are glimpses of the girls at 13 – everything much the same.
While Darian continues to be a success in life, their mother, Kyra Sedgwick, spends a lot of her energy in being frantic, finding it very difficult to cope with the problematic Nadine. On the other hand, Nadine relates very well with her kindly father but he suffers a turn and dies.
By 17, Nadine is able to confide only in Christa (Haley Lu Richardson) who finds herself attracted to Darian – extreme crisis, Nadine thinking only of herself, demanding an either/or decision from Christa and then indulging in sulking and surliness. There are more scenes with her mother who still finds it difficult to manage her daughter, comparisons with her brother and the disdain for Christa.
The main port of call is the teacher who is given the best lines in the film, sardonically funny yet sardonically wise in his ability to deal with this problematic girl. He is played by Woody Harrelson at his best.
Nadine certainly makes some stupid decisions, underestimating the nice student who sits next to her in class but he proves to be something of her salvation. She feels attracted to a hunky student, almost propositions him at his workplace and then sends him at outlandish text. Following it up almost proves her undoing though, rather ignorant, she gets out of the situation, finding herself desperate.
It is a surprise to find some bloggers referring to Nadine as “endearing�. Nadine is hardly endearing and one is tempted to give up on her so self-preoccupied is she, but there is always the sympathy for mental health and depression.
Thank goodness, the ending is not without hope!
1. A film for and about adolescents? A film for adolescent girls, about adolescent girls?
2. The film is an entertainment and/or a psychological case study?
3. The response of the target audience? The young audience, friends and siblings? The impact of the film for parents, teachers, counsellors?
4. The American setting, the city, homes, school, the mansion, the film festival? The feel of the city? The musical score?
5. Nadine, praise for Hailee Steinfeld’s? At 13? At 17? How persuasive? The introduction to her character, bursting in on the teacher, talk about her suicide note (and his casual commentary with his own alleged suicide letter!)? Nadine’s voiceover, going back to age 7, her being bullied at school, Christa and the caterpillar and the bonding, the sharing, their becoming friends for years? Her comments about her older brother and his instant success and confidence? The relationship with her parents, her frantic mother trying to get her out of the car, pulling her out, tantrums? Happy in her father’s company, singing the Billy Joel song? His affirmation of her? The suddenness of his seizure, the accident and his death? Her grief? Nadine at 13, the same, sharing with Christa, critical of her brother? Woody Harrelson as the teacher, his ironic humour, his classes, lunch hour, Nadine relying on him, his advice, challenging her, picking her up and saving her, bringing her home, scenes with his wife and child, driving her home, telling her to get out of the car?
6. Audiences engaged by Nadine? Or not? How sympathetic character? The irony and comic touches – and her capacity for irritating people, even the audience? Our sympathy for her because of her mental state, her narcissism, everything revolving around her, her observing herself from outside and not liking herself, having to live with herself for the rest of her life? Her depression, mood swings?
7. The portrait of Nadine’s mother, frantic, loving Darian, problems with Nadine, going away for a weekend and Nadine’s criticism? Nadine refusing to get out of the car, going to work, taking the car keys, discovering Nadine’s untidy rooms, the final text – OK, a wise decision?
8. Christa, the bond between the two girls, Christa with Darian, the sexual encounter, falling in love, Nadine interpreting this as a betrayal, demanding a choice on Christa’s part, the pressure on Christa, helping Darian? His mother ringing, their having to leave the party, Nadine surly towards them, Darian and the untidy rooms, going to pick up Nadine, confronting her, at the teacher’s house, Nadine’s eventual apology, the embrace with Darian, the reconciliation with Christa?
9. Sexual issues, the talking behaviour of the girls, Christa and Darian? Nadine and her flirting, the young men at school, at the pet shop, the outlandish text, his reply, the effort in dressing up to go, leaving the room’s untidy? The meeting, the car, his approach, her resistance? Not really comprehending what was happening?
10. The contrast with Erwin, talking with him in class, while watching the film, the attraction, going to his house, swimming in the pool, seeing his cartoons? A pleasant character? The film competition, her applause, herself as the topic, the friendliness with Irwin in the aftermath?
11. Nadine, a reflection on herself, her being demanding, tantrums, the narcissism, the depression? Realisation and change?
