Review of film: “AMERICAN TEEN” (documentary) = The Truth Shall Set You REMINISCING

Review of film:   “AMERICAN TEEN”  (documentary) = The Truth Shall Set You REMINISCING = 

 

                      [ RATING:  8 of 10 stars ] 

Date Rated: Jul 23, 2008 | Rel. Date: Jul 25, 2008 =

This won a Best Director award at the Sundance Festival for Nanette Burstein. She's been able to get very open and natural performances from a bunch of graduating High School seniors in a small Indiana town: 


...  Basketball jocks COLIN CLEMENS (who needs a scholarship to college) and easy-going MITCH REINHOLT; well-to-do MEGAN KRIZMANICH (who was called “the bitch!” by a lady to my right) & her friends GEOFF HAASE and ALI WIKALINSKA... 


...  Also, nerdy video-game-loving band-member JAKE TUSING; and rebellious HANNAH BAILEY who hopes to be a film-maker...


...  Some of the thoughts expressed by the people are periodically shocking in their bluntness (and lack of social grace), but it adds to the realism of the story-telling of their often-painful growing pangs...


...  While the film is sometimes limited in giving a “full” view to their lives, there are a lot of fascinating insights into the relationships with their families & friends... 


...  I found the film well-done, & liked the story “post-scripts" during the end credits.