NOVEMBER CRIMINALS

US, 2017, 85 minutes, Colour.
Ansel Elgort, Chloe Grace Moretz, David Strathairn, Catherine Keener, Terry Kinney, Cory Hardrict, Philip Ettinger, Danny Flaherty.
Directed by Sasha Gervasi.

November Criminals is a Young Adult story. Ansel Elgort and Chloe Grace Moretz play two teenagers at school, bonding, though Elgort is still grieving the death of his mother, finding stress in dealing with his father, David Strathairn. Chloe Grace Moretz live with her mother, Catherine Keener, a hard-headed career woman.

They discover from television coverage that a friend of theirs school has been murdered. He is African- American. The police do an investigation. The principal of the school gives a speech – vigorously interrupted by Elgort and summoned to the principal’s office. He becomes even more determined to discover the truth, leading him to a visit of the murdered young man’s parents and discovering drug involvement, leading him to dealers, leading him to violent danger, leading to threats to his life. He involves his girlfriend though she is hesitant.

The material seems familiar enough. The film leads are competent in their roles. However, with the brief running time, the film moves along but then just seems to stop.

1. The Young Adult drama? Washington DC? Homes, schools, drug areas, police?

2. The introduction to Addison and Phoebe? Younger audiences identifying with them? Addison and his relationship with his father, at home, the death of his mother, his father watching home movies? Phoebe, the expectations of the mother, hard?

3. Sexuality issues, Phoebe and her proposal to Addison, his agreeing, the experience in the aftermath? The continuing?

4. The story of the death of the student? His being a friend? Shot at the diner? Addison and his going, becoming involved, emotional? His confronting the headmaster during his speech, the headmaster in his office and demands on Addison? Addison going to the police, his thinking they were not listening to him?

5. The reputation of the young man? Addison going to his house, meeting his parents, the revelation about the drugs?

6. Phoebe, partly involved, keeping her distance, yet supportive of Addison? His father and her mother being called to the principal?

7. Addison, the intensity, finding the drug dealer, getting a name from him, going further and the confrontation? The dealer and his leading him on? The dangers, the confrontations, shooting, Addison in hospital?

8. The solution, drug deals, Addison carrying the drugs to Phoebe’s friend from school?

9. The low-key ending, the solution of the killing, Phoebe and Addison, his going away to college?