The Spectacular Now is an honest story with believable acting that premiered at this year’s Sundance Film Festival.
James Ponsoldt, who directed Smashed, (which was released in 2012) was able to bring to life the book of the same title written by Tim Tharp.
Ponsoldt’s new film is being related to a Jon Hughes movie by a number of critics.
The film stars Shailene Woodley who grabbed a Golden Globe nomination for The Descendants. Woodley plays Aimee Finicky a high school senior who falls for Sutter Keely played by Miles Teller.
After graduating from NYU’s prestigious Tisch School of the Arts, Teller appeared in 21 and Over, Rabbit Hole and Project X.
Other familiar faces in the film are Kyle Chandler of Friday Night Lights, Jennifer Jason Leigh, Brie Larson and Mary Elizabeth Winstead.
Sutter Keely is a charasmatic high school semi-alcoholic senior who prefers to live in the moment. With an absent father and a working mother, Sutter is on his own most of the time. He looks to the owner of the men’s apparel store (where he works as a clerk) for mentorship.
Applying for college and working on graduating are not his top priorities.
Each day at his job he brings a cup of soda from the gas station and fills it with the booze from his flask. Sutter meets Aimee after she finds him passed out in a yard on her paper route early one morning.
After having his girlfriend break up with him, Sutter is intrigued by Aimee and pursues her at first to make his ex jealous, but soon finds out that she might be more important to him than a rebound. His douchebag tendencies slowly break away due to the presence of Aimee in his life.
The film is not a typical high school “dramedy” because it actually depicts reality through a coming of age narrative.
The Spectacular Now will leave audiences with a truthful portrayal of a small town high school senior who’s life has been greatly affected by his parental upbringing. Although the movie has serious messages throughout, it will certainly make you laugh.
Additionally, the stars featured in the film are some to keep an eye out for in future movies.The film was released in theaters on August 2, 2013.