Five Terrific Teen films

“La Promesse” - 1996

The Belgian brothers Luc and Jean-Pierre Dardenne wrote and directed this subtle and absorbing tale of a boy named Igor who is on the cusp of adulthood.  Igor’s father, Roger, runs a dilapidated boarding house for illegal immigrants.  In exchange for keeping them hidden from authorities, Roger exploits them for free labor.  Igor is aware of the situation, but seems too young to understand the full import of his father’s clandestine schemes.  Then the accident happens.

Amidou, one of Roger’s tenants, becomes injured in a fall on Roger’s property.  Roger knows that he cannot seek medical help and fears that Amidou will report him.  Amidou’s wife, Assita, is fully aware of the danger, and fears for the safety of her baby as well as herself.  Igor’s passive stance becomes untenable and he decides to help Assita return home.  This promise is the nexus of a new path in Igor’s life.  The beauty of the film is how these events unfold with so little dramatization.  There is a very strong documentary feeling, though the emotional undercurrents are deep and surge behind ever scene.

“The Exploding Girl” - 2009

Oscilloscope is a label to watch as the quality of films they have released has so far been exemplary.  “The Exploding Girl” is a perfect example of Oscilloscope’s superb taste in selecting top notch independent movies that deserve to be seen by a wider audience.  Written and directed by Bradley Rust Gray, “The Exploding Girl” tells the quietly compelling story of a young woman’s summer of transformation.  Ivy is a shy teen, not only because of the awkwardness of these years, but also because she is an epileptic.

Ivy begins her summer grappling with the recent separation from her boyfriend, who must spend time in another city for a new job.  Ivy’s longtime friend Al accompanies her, and Ivy slowly begins to realize who really cares for her.  While Ivy’s epilepsy doesn’t play a major part in the story, at one point she endures an episode with Al present.  This scene is shot and acted with such intimate tenderness that I felt like an intruder, and the whole film throbs with an impending immediacy that captivated me as few films have.

“The Spectacular Now” - 2013

With the theatrical and pop culture dominance of the “Twilight” and “Hunger Games” franchises, finding a modern teen film that even remotely resembles actual human experience is a rare thing.  That is why “The Spectacular Now” is such a pleasure.  Instead of fighting vampires, werewolves or oppressive paramilitary governments, the youngsters in “The Spectacular Now” are battling a much more relatable foe, their insecurities.

Sutter Keely is one of the popular, party-hardy dudes of his high school, but his drinking is a sign of a bigger problem than peer pressure.  Shy Aimee Finicky is awed by Sutter’s sudden attentions, and her common sense is momentarily dulled by their mutual boozing.  However, once Aimee takes stock of the situation she helps Sutter to confront a dark family secret.  This allows Sutter to see a chance for hope in his future, and we see two people who now have a chance to become a couple.

“Manny & Lo” - 1996

Writer/director Lisa Krueger crafted this dark yet comic tale of orphaned sisters on the run.  Manny (Amanda) and Lo (Laurel) were adopted by different families, yet they escape, team up and survive by shoplifting convenience stores and sleeping in unoccupied condominiums.  But Manny is pregnant, and now these two children must decide how to prepare for the arrival of a third.  Their solution makes perfect sense, if you’re a kid!

Manny and Lo kidnap Elaine, an employee of a baby clothing store, and take her to a remote cabin in the woods that is empty for the summer.  What follows is a sweet yet sometimes profane bonding that results in some shockingly hilarious plot twists.  Elaine sees through Manny’s rages and understands how terrified Manny is of her pregnancy.  Elaine also realizes how much both sisters need her help and she goes to some surprising lengths to keep things calm until the baby can be born.  The end is yet another beginning, but the journey is fulfilling and very funny.

“The Man in the Moon” - 1991

No, not the Andy Kaufman biopic with Jim Carrey!  “The Man in the Moon” is a fantastic family film about the deep bonds of sisterhood, and how this powerful connection can survive even death.  Reese Witherspoon was only fourteen when she appeared in the starring role of younger sister Dani, but her performance is a portent of the career that would quickly follow.  The supporting cast of Sam Waterston, Jason London and Tess Harper also contribute wonderful performances.

It’s summertime in Louisiana in the 1950’s, and one of Dani’s favorite things is to go swimming in the creek near her family’s home.  One day, an older boy named Court interrupts her solitude with a splashy cannonball, and the two become friendly.  Dani becomes infatuated, but keeps her passions to herself, even from her older sister Maureen.  However, when Court and Maureen meet for the first time, the thunderbolt of real love hits them both.  At first Dani seethes with betrayal, but then a real tragedy strikes and the estranged sisters rediscover how important their relationship really is.  The bittersweet tone is perfectly maintained throughout, and is absent any tawdry sentimentalism.