Review

'Edge of Seventeen' perfectly sums up life as a teenager

High School junior Nadine (Hailee Steinfeld) has reached her limit. A few years ago, her father died, home life with her mother and seemingly perfect brother aren’t great and when her best friend starts dating her brother, she just can’t take it anymore. This is the story of Nadine and how she manages the awkward and difficult age of 17.

Really well made coming of age films are hard to come by. So often, they fall back on the cliché crutches that help hobble the film along in hopes of appealing to the teenagers out there and score big in the box office.

I was so pleased when "Sing Street" came out this past summer because that was one of the most original and well made coming of age films that I have ever seen (if you haven’t seen it, then you need to!). I am very pleased to say that "Edge of Seventeen," while not quite up to "Sing Street" level, is another fantastic coming of age story that offers a fresh spin on things.

This is a fantastic movie for two big reasons: the acting between Steinfeld and Woody Harrelson and how relatable this film is. Steinfeld is one of the most promising young actresses of our generation and Harrelson is true talent as well. Steinfeld at the age of 14 was nominated for an Oscar for her role in the "True Grit" remake and this role is right up there as well (although most of you might know her best for her music or her role in "Pitch Perfect 2"). She will for sure win some Teen Choice Awards but hopefully will be in the discussion for real awards as well because she deserves it. She perfectly captures what it is like to be a teenager. Harrelson plays an awesome teacher who acts as a mentor and someone she can vent to. He is such a great character who adds a lot of great laughs and heartfelt moments along the way.

Being a teenager is not easy. With hormones being all crazy-like, brains still in development and everything seemingly being the most important thing ever, life is no cake walk. Steinfeld brings this to the screen perfectly. While not many of us might have dealt with everything that she deals with throughout this film, there will be at least something that we can all relate to. I did at least, and when I did, it only sucked me into the film even more emotionally.

With this emotional factor comes a lot of amazing life lessons. Even though this film is rated R (sexual content, language and some drinking - all involving teens) this is a film that schools should really show to their students. This is their life right now and a lot of them will be thinking, feeling and experiencing the same things that she does.

This movie is not only funny and warm-hearted, but it is also very inspirational. This film will help reach out to a lot of people and let them know that even though they feel the walls crumbling in, even though they don't know what to do, everything will be OK. This is only a part of life and this too shall pass.

Not only is this a brilliant coming of age film that young adults and teens will love, but it is one that adults will love as well. It is so well written, directed, acted and everything you want in a good film, it is impossible to not like. This movie is for sure worth both your time and money and will be remembered for a long time.