Two of the most talented up and coming actors in Miles Teller (Rabbit Hole) and Shailene Woodley (The Descendants) come together in this sweet, yet striking tale about a young man finding his way.
Sutter (Miles Teller) is the high school larrikin. His outrageous sense of humour and antics win him friends and a relationship with the equally popular Cassidy (Brie Larson). But his antics aren’t just fuelled by his charm and charisma; they are also the result of a growing dependency on alcohol.
When the end of high school nears, and those around him begin to think more about their future, Cassidy dumps Sutter for someone more serious. The heartbroken Sutter is discovered passed out on a stranger’s front lawn by Aimee (Shailene Woodley), a straight-laced over achiever who has an immediate impact on Sutter.
Aimee agrees to tutor him in geometry, and soon a romance between the unlikely pair blossoms. Sutter teaches Aimee that high school can indeed be fun, while she teaches him that study is worth the effort. All goes well for a while until the two inevitably delve deeper into each other’s past, and their true stories come to the fore with a heart-breaking force.
There is so much to like about the way this film tackles the realities of growing up in imperfect environments. Rather than be your typical teen romance and odd couple film, The Spectacular Now demands that we look deeper into ourselves and those around us—forcing us to see that the person we project may be far from the truth of who we are.
Carried along by the burgeoning talent that the two lead actors have, while not without its faults, The Spectacular Now makes for a soul-filled look at teenagedom, as we reflect upon how we are formed and what role this may play in our future as adults.
Directed by: James Ponsoldt
Starring: Miles Teller, Shailene Woodley
Rating: MA 15+
Runtime: 95 mins
Release Date: 5 December
Reviewer rating: 3.5/5