NICK AND NORAH’S INFINITE PLAYLIST

US, 2008, 90 minutes, Colour.
Michael Cera, Kat Dennings, Aaron Yoo, Rafi Gavron, Ari Graynor, Alexis Dziena.
Directed by Peter Sollett.

Even the title, with its references to downloading, laying down record tracks and the I-Pod? culture, means some reviewers will be feeling a touch antique or out-of-date. This is a film about teens at the end of high school. Some of them have grown up (comparatively speaking) too fast and are on a track to alcoholism, promiscuity and burn-out before 20. So, this is a sometimes indulgent look at clubbing and its effect on the young.

However... Nick and Nora are not quite that type of teenager. Nora is a somewhat reserved daughter of a record company boss but does not make much of it. Rather, she keeps an eye on her disaster-prone school friend (depressingly, it is revealed they go to Sacred Heart school). Nick is a reserved nerdish type, who lays down tracks, especially for his fickle girlfriend, and is socially awkward while being able to be articulately straightforward opinions. He belongs to a band made up of three gay friends (of the partying variety).

This is one of those overnight stories where teens are looking for clues to find where their favourite band is playing. Along the way, misfortune, misunderstanding – and some reconciliation. The drinking girl goes immediately to binge, then goes to pieces, getting lost. Nora wants to find her. The band want to set up Nick with Nora. They lose the drunken girl. And so on.

Some of the dialogue is amusing, especially Nick and his observations on life. He is played by Michael Cera in the engaging dorkish manner he used in Superbad and Juno. Kat Jennings is good as Nora – but a bit hard to believe, given her appearance and obviously strong character, that she is so reserved and diffident.

The vagaries of a night on the town by teens who are not supervised or accountable – with some final touches, briefly, of hope.

1.A teen comedy? Its adherence to the genre? Using the conventions? How different?

2.The title and tone, the emphasis on music, iPods, the technology? 21st century?

3.New Jersey people, the Manhattan locations? The different worlds? Nick, at home, his love for music, editing and mixing, his being something of a nerd? Norah, at school, wealth, the world of clubs, streets, studios?

4.An overnight story – from some darkness into light?

5.The importance of the music, the various tracks, the sound, the atmosphere?

6.Michael Cera as Nick, in himself, age, the geek, at school, the long phone call to Tris, his awkwardness, in love, the playlist for her? His friends, the band, gay and his feeling isolated and lonely as straight? Their chatter? Their appeal to him to play, reluctance, finally accepting? The performance in the club?

7.Norah, at school, her friends, Caroline and her dependence? On the outer with Tris and the other girls? Their snobbery? Caroline and her drinking, her promising not to? Norah and her friendship and care for Caroline? Tris, haughty, dumping Nick, carrying on behind his back, throwing the CDs away, Norah finding them, listening, liking them?

8.The plan, Nick going out, performance, Norah and her relationship with Tal, her request that he be her companion, his reaction? The situation and their being together, going in his car – and the couple mistaking it for a cab and their behaviour, their paying?

9.Caroline, personality, at school, her promise, going out, drinking and the effect on her? Her disappearance? The group taking care of her, losing her? No money at the station, in the toilet, the phone calls, the battery going down? The gum?

10.The band, Where’s Fluffy? The advertisements, the radio clues, the huge following, youngsters trying to find the location, Nick and Norah thinking they found it, the wrong band and the MC and the apology?

11.Nick’s band, the van, taking Caroline, setting Nick up with Norah, losing Caroline, searching for her? Their personalities, interactions, humour? Camp style?

12.Tris, her personality, pursuing Nick because of jealousy of Norah, her having to walk home, stranded, the brush-off?

13.Norah and Tal, their relationship, his wanting the connection with her executive father?

14.The famous studio, Jimi Hendrix and the tradition? Nick’s amazement, the relationship with Norah, the sexual experience, the effect, the monitor? Their plans for the future – thinking about college?

15.Caroline and the texting, knowing where Where’s Fluffy was playing, Tad and Tris, Nick and Norah not being able to get in, leaving together?

16.A picture of teens? Real or not? The hyper-sexualised and affluent atmosphere? Hedonism versus responsibility? Any insights?