The problems with this movie begin right at the title: Normal Adolescent Behavior. From it, one may have the impression that it's compromised whether of total immersion in the adolescent world - preferably from their own POV - or of a distant, even cold, analysis of that universe from an older generation's perspective.
Well, it tries, but it's neither.
In this movie, the teen Wendy (Amber Tamblyn in a solid performance, but compromised by a schizophrenic script) has a group of friends that stands out from the rest for being extremely liberal. Yes, that means they throw lots of parties with group sex, kinkiness, and stuff. The center of the plot, as predictably expected, however, is the process of Wendy's detachment from the group, especially from it's leader Billie (a great Kelli Garner - we actually grow to hate her!), and her falling-in-love-for-the-first-time. To sum up, it's about her becoming "mature".
Here we get to the movie's greatest flaw. It clumsily leaps from a highly stereotypical depiction of a group of friends who engage in intimate encounters (i.e. sex) under special rules, to a conservative view of what it is to grow up. Yes, conservative. This schizophrenia shows in the characters' actions and even in the dialogs (as noted by another reviewer here): it simply doesn't make its mind.
Why the aforementionedandquoted "conservative"? The growing up process, as the movie understands it, isn't really about Wendy building her own mind, ideas and personality: it's about leaving a group that has lots of sex. I'm not encouraging every teenager out there to have lots of almost-random sex or nothing like that lol! It's just that this movies sees growing up as being accepted by the society - which means conforming to social roles. Which means, again, paradoxically, thinking like the others. Then I ask: did Amber really grew up or did she just conformed to another group's (now the society in general) roles? That is for each one to decide, but MHO is expressed in the triple stars.
(Spoiler) Though, the film has it's merits, especially Amber's realization (and courage) to accepting that she can't leave the past behind, even by burning the box. That means that her boyfriend might leave her, making her changing process harder and lonelier (all her social world also needs to be reformulated). Instead of clinging to a man, however, she weakly - but decisively, and beautifully - clings to herself. That choice made me score the movie 3 instead of 2. It starts off from 2 because of Amber's beauty (hey I'm a guy, and she deserves! =) ) (Spoiler/)
I've read that this picture is somewhat autobiographical. If it is, it's a problem for the movie: they were HER problems and HER way of dealing with things. Now, from the complicated group to raising to society, it most certainly isn't Normal Adolescent Behavior: It's NAB for mothers. (To make things clear, I'm not yet far from being a teen) In the end, this is movie is a parents' "watch out for who you hang out with, sonny!", hypocritically cloaked in a created daughter's POV.
Want to see a closer try of depicting a girl with problem's mind and body (not in the pornographic way)? Watch Thirteen.
Well, it tries, but it's neither.
In this movie, the teen Wendy (Amber Tamblyn in a solid performance, but compromised by a schizophrenic script) has a group of friends that stands out from the rest for being extremely liberal. Yes, that means they throw lots of parties with group sex, kinkiness, and stuff. The center of the plot, as predictably expected, however, is the process of Wendy's detachment from the group, especially from it's leader Billie (a great Kelli Garner - we actually grow to hate her!), and her falling-in-love-for-the-first-time. To sum up, it's about her becoming "mature".
Here we get to the movie's greatest flaw. It clumsily leaps from a highly stereotypical depiction of a group of friends who engage in intimate encounters (i.e. sex) under special rules, to a conservative view of what it is to grow up. Yes, conservative. This schizophrenia shows in the characters' actions and even in the dialogs (as noted by another reviewer here): it simply doesn't make its mind.
Why the aforementionedandquoted "conservative"? The growing up process, as the movie understands it, isn't really about Wendy building her own mind, ideas and personality: it's about leaving a group that has lots of sex. I'm not encouraging every teenager out there to have lots of almost-random sex or nothing like that lol! It's just that this movies sees growing up as being accepted by the society - which means conforming to social roles. Which means, again, paradoxically, thinking like the others. Then I ask: did Amber really grew up or did she just conformed to another group's (now the society in general) roles? That is for each one to decide, but MHO is expressed in the triple stars.
(Spoiler) Though, the film has it's merits, especially Amber's realization (and courage) to accepting that she can't leave the past behind, even by burning the box. That means that her boyfriend might leave her, making her changing process harder and lonelier (all her social world also needs to be reformulated). Instead of clinging to a man, however, she weakly - but decisively, and beautifully - clings to herself. That choice made me score the movie 3 instead of 2. It starts off from 2 because of Amber's beauty (hey I'm a guy, and she deserves! =) ) (Spoiler/)
I've read that this picture is somewhat autobiographical. If it is, it's a problem for the movie: they were HER problems and HER way of dealing with things. Now, from the complicated group to raising to society, it most certainly isn't Normal Adolescent Behavior: It's NAB for mothers. (To make things clear, I'm not yet far from being a teen) In the end, this is movie is a parents' "watch out for who you hang out with, sonny!", hypocritically cloaked in a created daughter's POV.
Want to see a closer try of depicting a girl with problem's mind and body (not in the pornographic way)? Watch Thirteen.