True Adolescents

Washington state native Craig Johnson's insightful debut is full of the sights and sounds of the Pacific Northwest, starting with an instantly recognizable Seattle archetype: the down-on-his-luck rocker (Mark Duplass). After his girlfriend kicks him out, Sam (Duplass) goes to stay in leafy Woodinville with his aunt Sharon (Melissa Leo). In order to remain in her good graces, Sam takes his 14-year-old cousin, Oliver (Bret Loehr), and Oliver's best friend, Jake (Carr Thompson), camping in the Mt. Baker–Snoqualmie National Forest. Adult and kids don't agree on anything: Sam finds the suburban teens judgmental, while they disdain his urban-slacker lifestyle. After hours of insults, misunderstandings, and hurt feelings, Jake goes missing, forcing Sam and Oliver to put aside their preconceptions in order to track him down—but confusing trails and spacey hippies make the task more difficult. Offering a solid exploration of manliness and maturity—and the various discontents associated with both—this indie film is recommended. (K. Fennessy)