The Spectacular Now

Underachieving high school senior Sutter Keely (Miles Teller) is a class clown and genial, flask-toting life of every party. But after he's dumped by beautiful blonde girlfriend Cassidy (Brie Larson), Sutter is completely adrift…and drinking far too much whiskey. One morning, Sutter awakens to find himself sprawled on the lawn in front of the home of fresh-faced Aimee Finicky (Shailene Woodley), but can't remember where he parked his car. Studious, level-headed Aimee personifies innocence and goodness—unlike Sutter or Cassidy—which is why Sutter's buddy Marcus (Dayo Okeniyi) and Aimee's friend Krystal (Kaitlyn Dever) fear that perennially intoxicated Sutter will break Aimee's heart. Adapted from Tim Tharp's 2008 novel, filmmaker James Ponsoldt's comedic drama explores the effects of broken homes on fragile teenagers. Nine years earlier, Sutter's mother (Jennifer Jason Leigh), a hard-working nurse, divorced his father, Thomas (Kyle Chandler), whom Sutter hasn't seen since. And Aimee's demanding, widowed mother clings so tightly to Aimee that her going away to college seems out of the question. In order to grow up and move on, both adolescents must confront their uneasy parents and resolve their respective conflicts. What makes this coming-of-age melodrama work is Teller's naturalistic, unpretentiously charming performance, along with the genuine guilelessness exuded by Woodley. Shot in and around Athens, GA, the film exemplifies small-town America, striking a compassionate and bittersweet note of unaffected authenticity. Recommended. (S. Granger)