The coming-of-age story has become a staple in cinema. After all, it’s a universal experience that everyone has gone through. Also, unlike most big-budget blockbusters, you don’t need to break the bank to make one. Debate has often raged about which coming-of-age film is the best, withthe works ofJohn Hughesor the more recentLady Birdbeing the usual suspects that come to mind. But for my money, it’s the 2016 dramaThe Edge of Seventeen. Written and directed byKelly Fremon Craig,The Edge of Seventeenis the story of how Nadine Franklin (Hailee Steinfeld) deals with the pitfalls of adolescence. Her father Tom (Eric Keenleyside) suffers a fatal heart attack in her early teens, leaving her adrift. Her brother Darien (Blake Jenner) seems to have won at life, being the popular golden boy at school. Their mother Mona (Kyra Sedgwick) always takes his side in arguments and is neglectful toward Nadine and her grief.
The one constant in Nadine’s life is her best friend Krista (Haley Lu Richardson), but that’s soon upended when a rowdy teenage party leads to Krista and Darien hooking up. Feeling betrayed, Nadine spirals out of control, seeking solace from local bad boy Nick Mossman (Alexander Calvert) who has been the object of her afar affection for years, nerdy Erwin Kim (Hayden Setzo), and her acerbic teacher Mr. Bruner (Woody Harrelson). It’s in this journey that the movie sets itself apart from its predecessors.
The Edge of Seventeen
Nadine Is Not a Perfect Teenager — And That’s Great
One of the more refreshing elements ofThe Edge of Seventeenis that itisn’t afraid to showcase its main character’s flaws. While most protagonists in teenage films do have their less favorable attributes, it’s usually overshadowed by their better qualities.Edge of Seventeenquickly establishes that Nadine is rude, snarky, and not above punching down to people. When Mr. Bruner tries to have a conversation with her, she verbally rips him apart — insulting his lack of hair as well as his teacher’s salary. When Darien tries to connect with her, she tells a rather saddening story about their father…and then ends it by mocking her brother about how pathetic he looks.
The real kicker comes when Nadine discovers Darien and Krista in bed together. She corners Krista, at first attempting to brush off their tryst as a mistake. However, when Krista says that she and Darien are together, Nadine furiously asks her to pick between their friendship and her relationship. “It’s me or him! Pick!” Krista ends up picking Darien and fracturing her friendship with Nadine, sending the latter down into a spiral.
Hailee Steinfeld’s Performance Makes Nadine Empathetic
What keeps Nadine from being a completely irredeemable character is the raw emotion radiating off ofSteinfeld’s performance. Yes, her comic timing is impeccable — but behind each snarky quip or icy glare is genuine hurt. Nadine is hurting, but more than that she’s stuck in a state of grief ever since her father’s death. That grief finally boils over in a climactic scene where Mona tells Nadine, “Your father would be disappointed with the way you turned out,” leading to Nadine stealing the keys to her mother’s car and driving off. But before that, you can see the look of heartbreak in her eyes slowly morph into incandescent rage, and finally resolve. It’s those little moments in Steinfeld’s performance thatmake her feel like an actual teenager, and lets the audience empathize with Nadine’s plight.
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‘The Edge of Seventeen’s Supporting Cast Are Just As Important
Steinfeld’s co-stars also have the chance to dig deep into the usual archetypes that populate a coming-of-age film, resulting in some surprisingly deep performances. One major example is Jenner: At first glance, Darien seems to be nothing more than a thorn in Nadine’s side. He’s handsome, their mother clearly favors him, and there’s the aforementioned relationship with Krista. But toward the end of the film, Darien opens up to Nadine and reveals that he feels a major weight on his shoulders. He has to not only take care of her but also their mother. One scene even features Mona shouting that Nadine needs to respect her since she’s an adult, and Darien explodes: “Then why do you keep calling me?!” Jenner packs a whole lot of angst into that closing speech, and I challenge anyone to not tear up at the end.
Another character who gets a surprising amount of depth is Erwin. At first glance, he seems to fit into the standard “best friend who’s pining after the girl he can’t have.” He even tries to kiss Nadine on the Ferris wheel — an oldie, but a goodie. Over time, more is revealed about his home life: his parents are fairly well off, but often traveling, leaving him home alone. He’s also an aspiring filmmaker, which plays a part in the film’s climax. Nadine ends up attending her school’s film festival and watching Erwin’s animated film about an alien boy who seeks solace in the stars after being turned down one time too many. Even Nadine understands that Erwin is sending her a message through film: he’s not going to wait around forever. It’s also a nice change of pace to see a healthy, platonic relationship between a boy and a girl in one of these films.
This is in direct contrast to Nadine’s interactions with Nick. Most ofEdge of Seventeenhas her pining after him, to the point where she ends up sending him a rather explicit text message. But things take an abrupt turn when they’re finally alone. Despite having a very willing Nick in front of her, Nadine hesitates. She realizes that sex won’t solve all her problems, which is a very profound moment. This moment is tempered by Nick delivering a volley of vicious insults her way. It’s not a pleasant scene but an important one, as Nadine realizes that people are not always who you expect them to be.
Woody Harrelson and Hailee Steinfeld’s Scenes Are the Best of the Movie
But the real standout of the film is Harrelson as Mr. Bruner.Most teachers in teenage films,fromPaul Rudd’s sensitive Mr. Anderson inThe Perks of Being A Wallflowerto perhaps the greatest movie teacher ever,Robin Williams’ Mr. Keating inDead Poets Society, end up shaping their protagonists' lives for the better. Mr. Bruner falls into the same mold — he just goes about it in an entirely different way. He doesn’t have any time for Nadine’s teenage attitude, as he matches her quip for quip. But the best moment comes when Nadine asks for Bruner’s help after she sends Nick a rather explicit text. At first, he applies the usual Harrelson snark, including the all-time one-liner “You need to watch out for run-on sentences.” But it then shifts to a more open dialogue, with Bruner even encouraging her to take some time off school to cool off. Bruner also helps Nadine during a particularly rough patch in the third act, showcasing that he has a heart behind that prickly exterior.
The Edge of Seventeenremains one of the best coming-of-age story put to film, due to its willingness to buck convention as well as delivering some perfectly timed emotional moments. It doesn’t offer a fix for everything in Nadine’s life, but it manages to give her some form of closure.Edge of Seventeen’s impact can be felt in a major blockbuster:Craig performed a rewriteofBumblebee, which featured Steinfeld in the leading role. Like Nadine, Steinfeld’s Charlie Watson is suffering from the death of her father as well as dealing with adolescence. Obviously, there’s the added wrinkle of a giant robot, but it’s Craig’s personal touch that makesBumblebeeas well asAre You There God? It’s Me, Margaretstand out above the crowd.
The Edge of Seventeenis available to stream on Netflix in the U.S.
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