When Director James Ponsoldt crafts a second-act meeting with the young man's long-absent father, things start to gain traction.
We watch:
- Miles Teller ("Footloose" 2011) is our hard-partying hero, never at a loss for words, impervious to insults and indifferent to school. This charming character is a far cry from his pathetic lost boy in "Rabbit Hole." Good for Teller!
- Shailene Woodley ("The Descendants") is the awkward misfit who is unexpectedly targeted by our hero because she is a "nice girl." It starts as a lark, but once he gets to know her...
- Jennifer Jason Leigh ("Revenge") is our hero's mother, distracted by her responsibilities and reluctant to mar his happy memories of his father.
- Kyle Chandler ("Zero Dark Thirty") is that absent father, whom our hero tracks down so they can reminisce about his happy childhood.
To me, this is notable for several extremely long single-take scenes between the two young stars. Very few older actors can sustain scenes this long. Kudos!
First reviewed 05-04-13, this R-rated drama has gained a lot of positive attention from reviewers and has now gone into general release. Expect some sexuality, lots of drinking, and a bit of profanity, but two people you want to root for.
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Check out this preview:
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