Was going to use the more provocative line, “I Flicked a Girl and I Liked It” an allusion to the Katie Perry song, but didn’t want anyone to think I was questioning my sexuality (not that there’s anything wrong with that), but I remain 99% hetero).
I think the last time I went to a movie with a girl my own age was ‘The Hours’, back when I was all verclempt of whether to go to Arizona for a half marathon with an emotionally unstable boyfriend. SO today’s meeting a co-worker for The Edge of Seventeen was a fairly new experience.
The Edge of Seventeen stars Hailee Steinfeld, who I first got to know during one of the coldest winters ever in Rochester, when I was forced to run at the JCC. Slave to the elliptical machines, I’d watch VH1 videos and one of my favorites was Hailee Steinfeld’s “Love Myself”, a happy “Walking on Sunshine” pop piece that always helped me feel better about the minus 5 Fahrenheit outside.
Hailee, like so many of those who make it, is multi-talented, singing and acting with equal aplomb. She portrays 17 year old angst in a very genuine performance. I teared up which is telling of movie quality as I’m not one for teenage problem movies perhaps due to 30 years of somewhat jaded ‘oh not more hormonal drama’ experience.
Other actors were very solid-Blake Jenner, Haley Lu Richardson, and Hayden Szetzo, the latter of whom should be cast immediately in a Tiger Woods biopic. In fact, all these folks may some day be the Joilees and Pitts, they’re that good.
Woody Harreslon is another one of those guys who I could watch eat toast and be riveted. He plays a bit of a teacher stereotype here (lounging at his teacher desk reading is NOT something that happens in 99% of schools), but certainly fits public perception. And while I like Kyra Sedgewick, I though her character, also, was a bit cliche`; the sad single myopic mom.
My only other quibble was that some of the awkward silences between Woody and Hailee and Szetso and Hailee were a little too quiet. Silence works in many films (“Certain Women” at least did it better), but it was almost a beat too long here in a few spaces.
All in all though, twas a great experience; a sunny .7 mile walk, camaraderie with a gal pal, and a moving positive film.
