The Edge of 17 movie was released on November 18, 2016, watch the starring actors are Hailee Steinfeld, Haley Lu, Blake Jenner, Hayden Szeto, and Woody Harrelson in a comedy-drama that depicts the typical life of an introverted teenager and what it takes to overcome barriers.
The flick starts with the introduction of Nadine (played by Hailee Steinfeld). From an early age, she seems to be the typical introverted girl; alone, quiet, and reserved from society until one day, she bonds with Krista (Haley Lu). She describes her new (and only) friend as an “angel.”
Her life is starting to resemble a happily ever after when her father suddenly dies. This brings her down emotionally, especially since she never had a good relationship with her mother, let alone her older brother, Darian (Blake Jenner).
One day her mother decides to have a weekend getaway, which means Nadine and Darian have the house alone.
Nadine and Krista start drinking and dancing, having a good old time. On the other hand, Darian also wants to enjoy the momentum and invites his friends to the party. Eventually, Nadine passes out.
The next day, she finds out Krista and Darian have hooked up. In fact, what starts as a simple fling turns into a relationship. This is a no-go for Nadine, who gives Krista an ultimatum. “You can’t have both, it’s me or him, pick!”
Friendless, she has to adapt to the (new) climate. This would lead to her spending the school recess with her teacher, Mr. Bruner (Woody Harrelson), a straightforward yet funny character.
Erwin (Hayden Szeto), who is a classmate of Nadine, is eager to spend time with her. But in this new phase, she becomes more of a rebel. Now and then, she would have mood swings and take medication due to her father’s passing.
One day, Nadine finally dares to talk to her crush by sending him a straightforward hookup message. Once they meet, she changes her mind. In fact, she wishes to get to know him on a personal level. Unfortunately, he is not interested.
Since they were kids, Nadine and Darian never developed a sibling bond because they were total opposites. Whereas she was introverted, flunking in school, and unpopular, he was extroverted, excelling in classes and popular. Thus, she always felt he was their parent’s favorite.
Ultimately, she realizes that she isn’t the only one affected by her father’s passing. It’s the entire family. All this time, she was blind enough to see that the only person willing to talk to her was Erwin. An introvert coming out of his shelf, just like her.
Finally, she returns to the start-up line, only this time with a new mentality. She makes amends with her family, reconnects with her best friend Krista, and develops a friendship with Erwin. It’s safe to say that Nadine is no longer the introverted girl she once was.
“The Edge of 17” has great acting and received positive reviews. Hailee Steinfeld proves that an artist can really excel at both acting and singing.
Read my previous post, where I discuss the release of her new EP “Half Written Story,” and check “The Edge of 17,” watch the following clip scene of Nadine and Erwin interacting with each other.
