“I’m 100% serious about not being serious.” This seems to be
the life-motto of one Sutter Keely (Miles Teller), the incredibly charming, out
going, big man on campus that is seen in most high school dramas or romantic
comedies. The one thing about Sutter, though, that separates him from those
other teenaged archetypes is that he actually has substance. There’s a sadness
inside of this young guy that proves to be the cause of his exuberance and
leads him to go down a path of self-discovery in this simple yet outstanding
coming-of-age film.
From the outside, this movie will seem like the typical
“popular boy meets shy girl and learns an awful lot about himself” high school
movie—it is but it goes much much deeper. Instead of Sutter being a jerk, he
actually has a problem: alcohol; and instead of the “shy girl” Aimee (Shailene
Woodley) being that ever-present Manic Pixie Dream Girl, she’s actually a
normal girl, who just so happens to fall in love with the boy who doesn’t love
himself. The result is a very sweet and moving story about the people who have
the ability to change us; whether it be a sweetheart, a deadbeat dad, or an
encouraging boss. The people in Sutter’s life truly care about him, but
throughout the film he learns that life isn’t always about pleasing others,
it’s about making the right decisions for himself.
Being a true, Dillon Panthers, Friday Night Lights fanatic, I must first mention Kyle Chandler’s
performance as Sutter’s absentee father. Fans of the show will surely be proud
of Chandler’s range in this film; he’s charismatic, he’s energetic but he’s
also a pathetic skirt chaser. It’s nice to see that Chandler can play someone
with a lot more vulnerability than his previous roles (Clear Eyes, Full
Hearts!)
Now to our young leads. Those familiar with her work will
recognize Ms. Woodley as the teenager in trouble in The Secret Life of the American Teenager as well as the daughter
with an attitude in Alexander Payne’s The
Descendants. She truly has grown into a very fine young actor—which isn’t
easy for me to say as I would gladly steal her career if I could. Her ease and
fluidity in each of her scenes was very refreshing to watch; she never pushes,
she’s just present. Those will most likely recognize Miles Teller as the comic
relief in most movies (Footloose, 21 and Over), but here he truly holds
his own as a great, dramatic actor. Similar to his father, Sutter’s charisma
overflows the audience, and yet we suffer parental cringes whenever he reaches
for his flask.
Besides a few—very few—moments where the scenes seem to drag
on a bit, I truly enjoyed this film, and I think it’s an important one to catch
for any aspiring actor, filmmaker, screenwriter, and movie fan out there.
