"The Spectacular Now" review

The party’s over, but that's a good thing.

Teen coming-of-age dramadies are a summer movie staple, and given this frequency, the chances of discovering one that has something fresh and original to say grows smaller with each passing year.  There are only so many characters and stories to tell, which is why “The Spectacular Now” is such a pleasant surprise.  While familiar elements abound, the film successfully avoids clichés in favor of small, intimate moments of great significance.

Miles Teller plays Sutter Keely, a charming but salacious, hard-drinking high school senior who loves his non-stop party lifestyle.  However, his girlfriend has just dumped him because she knows that the real world is waiting for both of them after graduation and she wants to make plans.  Sutter doesn’t care about the future, and seeks further distraction by pursuing shy but sweet Aimee Finicky, played by Shailene Woodley. 

As their relationship blossoms, the potential for disaster looms as Aimee, star struck over Sutter's attentions, is drawn into his boozing.  However, Aimee has a positive influence which results in Sutter’s first meeting with his long-absent father.  The experience proves crushing, as Sutter sees a possible future version of himself.  The vision is terrifying and drives him further into the bottle.  A near-fatal accident provides the final catalyst for Sutter’s awakening.

 

The character scenes are so underplayed that it almost works against the film.  There are no big “Oscar” moments, and while this creates a more realistic atmosphere, it threatens to give the movie a flat tone.  I didn’t experience a strong emotional reaction until the very end, but I believe that’s the point.  Change is hard and usually takes a long time to happen, which is why it takes Sutter so long to finally understand that the party’s over.  While that realization is bittersweet, it means that there is hope for his future, and that Aimee can be part of it.