The Edge of Seventeen

Writer-director Kelly Fremon Craig makes an impressive feature debut with this girl-centered, coming-of-age comedy. When 17-year-old Nadine (Hailee Steinfeld) discovers that her best (and only) friend, Krista (Haley Lu Richardson), has hooked up with Nadine's handsome, popular older brother, Darian (Blake Jenner), she feels betrayed and hopelessly alone. A flashback reveals that while Nadine has always had problems with both Darian and her harried, self-involved mother, Mona (Kyra Sedgwick), things went from bad to worse after her father died. “Everyone in the world is as miserable and empty as I am,” widowed Mona asserts, adding “They're just better at pretending.” Openly hostile, frumpy, and socially awkward Nadine idolizes bad boy Nick (Alexander Calvert), and she is shyly, amusingly adored by nerdy Edwin (Hayden Szeto). An outcast and misfit among her classmates, Nadine's only confidante is her snarky history teacher (Woody Harrelson), whose lunch break she continually interrupts with brash, dramatic outbursts. What makes all of this work is that the director has her finger on the pulse of teenage angst, perceptively guiding Steinfeld's compelling, multi-layered performance with a firm hand. A savvy, wryly sardonic film, this is recommended. [Note: DVD/Blu-ray extras include a gag reel (6 min.), deleted scenes (4 min.), and trailers. Exclusive to the Blu-ray release are bonus DVD, digital, and UltraViolet copies of the film. Bottom line: a small extras package for a smart adolescent comedy.] (S. Granger)