The Spectacular Now Movie Review

The Spectacular Now (2013)

Rent The Spectacular Now on Amazon Video // Buy the novel
Written by: Scott Neustadter & Michael H. Weber (screenplay), Tim Tharp (novel)
Directed by: James Ponsoldt
Starring:  Miles Teller, Shailene Woodley, Brie Larson, Kyle Chandler, Jennifer Jason Leigh, Andre Royo, Mary Elizabeth Winstead
Rated: R
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Plot
Hard-partying Sutter meets introverted Aimee after waking up on her lawn hung over. As Sutter deals with life problems and Aimee plans for her future, an unexpected romance develops.

Verdict
While it doesn't cover new ground, it's a teen coming of age movie with a sense of maturity. It feels like the story of an adult looking back at their teen years with a fair bit of nostalgia, but I can't help but be disappointed with how easily and neatly everything concludes. This touches on a lot of topics, as it grapples with the teenage experience, but the safe ending dulls the impact.
Watch it.

Review
Sutter lives in the moment, the spectacular now. It's a teenage way of thinking and for Sutter it's a way to hide from the future. He's a popular kid in high school, but will that continue? He knows from his home life, things don't always last. Having just broken up with his girlfriend, he's unsure about everything.

Sutter is not necessarily the popular kid, but he is well liked. Aimee is less popular. She likes to read and is in to sci-fi. The movie makes her seem unusual, but she was the most normal teenager in the story. Sutter begins to fall for her and they start dating, but Sutter hasn't gotten over his ex who is playing Sutter against her new boyfriend, the star athlete and class president.

This movie plays hard with high school nostalgia. It's just such a perfect world they inhabit. Sutter and Aimee aren't a logical match, as far as movies play, so you wonder if he'll break her heart. The movie toys with it, but doesn't go there which I appreciate. This movie's focus is on Sutter and how he sees himself in the world. He likes life as is, but nearing the end of high school that's going to change.

He meets his dad, who ran out on his family. Sutter always defended him, too young to know what the guy was like and too stubborn of a teenager to look at the big picture. If his dad cared, he would have seen him more recently than ten years ago. Sutter blames that on his mom, but he discovers his dad just isn't a great guy. His dad ditches him again and leaves Sutter with the tab

All of the characters do a great job, but Kyle Chandler was notable as the dad. He usually plays a nice guy type, and that demeanor works in this role as he seems nice, but isn't. Woodley does a great job as the girl next door. The characters are great, if a bit too eloquent for teenagers.

The ending does wrap up a little too neatly. Sutter is wrestling with the future, he's afraid. He's been able to coast through high school by his charm. He realizes that he is the catalyst for most of his hardships. The college essay he's writing delineates all of that. I like the thought of him realizing all of this on an entrance essay that is way too late. It doesn't matter as far as that college, but it matters that he's come to the realization. Ending there leaves this open to the future. It doesn't end there.
With all of this swirling around him, the ending just feels too cute. Sutter lives the teen mantra of living in the now or you only live once, and he finally realizes life is full of moments. We then get this cute ending that's just trite.