The Spectacular Now
I had seen enough about “The Spectacular Now” to know I wanted to see this film, and a big part of that is because of Shailene Woodley, whom I loved in “The Descendants.” That being said, I don’t think I saw something this dramatically wrought coming, which shows just how little i knew of the book by Tim Tharp. In this film, she takes on another emotionally demanding role, this time as a young woman who isn’t used to being looked at by anyone, but ends up becoming involved with one of the most popular kids in school (Miles Teller). For her, it’s a blooming first love, rife with potential, but Sutter (Teller) has some demons he needs to deal with if he wants to be a good boyfriend for Woodley’s Aimee.
Director James Ponsoldt works deftly with a screenplay by Scott Neustadter and Michael H. Weber (“(500) Days of Summer”) that touches on a lot of the same young love and melancholy “(500) Days” did, but delves deeper. Despite my gateway to the film being Woodley and her character, Aimee, it’s Sutter that is the focal point. He has a tough time relating to his constantly-working mother after his parents divorced; was just dumped by his long-time girlfriend after a misunderstanding (though hints arise that she knows what’s up with him); and though he has a reputation as a party guy who lives in “the now,” he doesn’t seem to have too many friends, and those he does have are concerned for him. Alcohol plays a big part in Sutter’s life, and it’s something that will play a big part in his coming-of-age, especially when he finds himself increasingly attached to Aimee, and she to him. Teller and Woodley play off one another beautifully, and make a sweet, sometimes painful pair in a film about growing up that doesn’t play comfortably with formula, and attacks it’s toughest issues head-on, and doesn’t let it’s characters off the hook.
