REVIEW: The Spectacular Now

Courtesy of A23

It’s shaping up to be a great year for coming-of-age narratives. I recently raved about The Way Way Back, and here comes The Spectacular Now, which might be even better. Currently playing in limited release, the film is one of the most realistic depictions of being a teenager that I can recall. It’s funny, sad and – unlike most movies about young adults – takes their worries and emotions seriously.

Anchored by two phenomenal and heartbreaking performances, The Spectacular Now is the story of Sutter Keely (Miles Teller), a high school senior and an effortless charmer who sees himself as the life of every party. He’s also a functioning alcoholic, which explains the Big Gulp constantly in his hand. After his longtime girlfriend (Brie Larson) dumps him because he’s holding her back, he finds himself drawn to Aimee Fineky (Shailene Woodley), a shy, goody-goody classmate he never noticed before.

The two are complete opposites: she dreams of the day she can jump on a bus and head for college, while he is obsessed with living in the moment. But lest anyone think this is a clichéd She’s All That-style teen comedy, screenwriters Scott Neustadter and Michael H. Weber (adapting Tim Tharp’s novel) and director James Ponsoldt constantly remind viewers that couples who seem perfect on paper can be really bad for each other in practice.

Aimee’s love for Sutter causes her to overlook some of his major flaws and start to emulate a few some of his most problematic traits. Sutter sees it happening, but is too love-starved (or does he just like the attention?) to put a stop to it. Most viewers will see the inevitable emotional collision coming from a mile away. But just like a car crash, it seems to happen in slow motion and there’s absolutely nothing anyone can do to stop it.

Growing up is a universal theme, diversely represented in films for almost a century now, so it’s tough for the genre to break new ground. However, Neustadter and Weber are able to use that liability as a strength in The Spectacular Now; the story of Sutter and Aimee is powerful because it’s so relatable. Maybe not these exact plot developments, but the couple’s relationship will unquestionably remind viewers of a similar time in their lives, whether a few years ago or several decades in the past.

Ponsoldt’s direction adds to the story’s familiarity by infusing the proceedings with a hazy feeling of nostalgia. That’s why the bookend scenes, which focus on Sutter’s struggle to write an essay for his college application, are actually unnecessary – the entire movie already feels like a flashback.

The filmmakers’ other big stumble occurs in the third act. I don’t think Neustadter, Weber and Ponsoldt want a certain major event to surprise the audience, considering it’s foreshadowed every time Sutter is behind the wheel of a car. What makes it such a misstep is how the unavoidable scene plays out. Without getting into spoiler territory, I’ll just say it seems highly unlikely that the person involved in the situation would emerge in such good condition. 

Still, those errors don’t cause significant damage because the rest of the film is so natural and confident. I can’t praise the performances enough. Teller continues his steady rise to stardom with his best work to date. I remember seeing him for the first time in Craig Brewer’s Footloose remake, which he completely dominated, and realizing he was destined for big things.

He fulfills that promise here, taking a role that could’ve been a giant stereotype (one very similar to the guy he played in 21 & Over) and transforming it into a fully-realized character. Sutter is full of life and energy, but uses humor and spontaneity as defense mechanisms to mask the very real fear, anger and hurt he’s struggling with. He’s a walking contradiction, but in a way that feels genuine rather than the screenwriters being unable to nail down who the character really is. I knew a lot of guys like Sutter in high school and Teller gets it exactly right.

So does Woodley as the timid, inexperienced Aimee. Continuing the strong work she exhibited alongside George Clooney in The Descendants, yet playing an entirely different kind of teenager, she proves she’s not going to be pigeonholed into playing the same character over and over again for the next 10 years. She convincingly portrays Aimee as a girl so starved for positive attention, so desperate to get away from her selfish mother, that she’ll become whoever Sutter wants her to be in order to make that happen.

The supporting cast is equally strong, with standout performances from Larson (another rising star to keep your eye on); Mary Elizabeth Winstead, as Sutter’s social-climbing big sister; Andre Royo (The Wire), as Sutter’s math teacher; and the phenomenal Kyle Chandler (Friday Night Lights), who shows up for a couple of absolutely devastating scenes. It’s the first time in a while that the actor hasn’t played some version of Coach Taylor, and it’s a stark reminder of how versatile he can be.

The Spectacular Now is the latest evidence that 2013 is shaping up to be a much stronger year for movies than I expected. You just have to look push through the tired, bloated leftovers that have clogged up multiplexes this summer. As we leave the season of $300 million budgets, incoherent scripts and nonstop explosions, this intimate film is a welcome reminder of what filmmakers can accomplish with powerful storytelling and committed actors.

The Spectacular Now is rated R for alcohol use, language and some sexuality – all involving teens.

Grade: A-