Edge of 17 Review with Minna M

‘Edge of Seventeen‘ is a 2016 film that showcases the troubles that teenagers go through in high school. Directed by Kelly Freemon Craig and starring Hailey Steinfeld, we get to travel into this drama filled high school and fall into the troubles that exist. Throughout the film, we follow Steinfeld’s character Nadine in an especially troubling part of her young life. The trials and tribulations are tough for her to overcome but it seemingly brings about a new version of her. One that is open to more and understands the world in a new way. Not only do we see the high school tropes that come with this type of movie but it seems to dive deeper into the characters, making this an interesting character piece as well as a fun movie to watch.

Check out our full conversation about the film below.

Minna: 3.5 ⭐⭐⭐/5
Suneel: 4 ⭐⭐⭐⭐/5

The way that this film deals with emotions, life and how we interact with it gives it so many levels. Steinfeld portrays this complicated teenager that is so wrapt up in her life, often times she cannot see around her. It is through this lens that we get to understand her but also to see that she is right and wrong at the same time. Every character has a duality that puts them in different areas of the story and we slowly get to see them unfold. They have fully fleshed out characters and because of this, no one is a cliche because they all get to show their dimensions. It is intriguing to think that you know some of the characters, then you meet a different part of their life and your opinion can be switched completely.

There is a great chemistry between all of the actors, they all fit together well. They seem like they have lived together for the entirety of their lives and it makes the film feel natural. Whether it be their body movement or how they act within a scene there is a natural feel to it. The entire movie has this natural feel as it is less of something to watch but more of this was an important time in this girl’s life. We get an old-timey aesthetic, everything is slower as compared to the how the world we live in. It allows for the characters to deepen in different ways and showcases the story in an interesting way.

There is a unique sense of style in this film and it shines all throughout. From the beginning when we get to learn that Nadine is not your ordinary girl, to following her growing up it is obvious. We get to see various intimate moments and from the female perspective it is not glossy or sexualised but just something that happened. With a female director, we get this interesting look into their lives that I believe that any male cannot truly understand. There are clear connections between the person that one sees inside and the one we show the world that is showcased in the film as we get to see both sides. Slowly, the world gets to see both sides in the film and it allows everyone to understand their world and accommodate accordingly. It is something of an ideal for our current world. It would be great if we could just talk out all of the issues in the world.