"No matter where you are or where you grow up, you always go through the same awkward moments of being a teenager and growing up and trying to figure out who you are." -Aimee Teegarden
Adolescence is one of the most troubling time periods of people's lives. Just ask anyone. It's all about changes: your body changes, your friend group might change, your social life might change. Everything is changing and as teens, sometimes we don't know what to do with ourselves when these things happen. It's a stressful time and we are often lost, confused, mad, sad, and a whole other mix of emotions. We often wish there was an instruction manual or some type of survival guide on how to do life. There's been movies made about it, but none actually seem to accurately "get it".
Enter "The Edge of Seventeen". It was released a couple of weeks ago and has been receiving extremely positive reviews. After hearing some of the reviews, I went to go see the movies with some of my friends.
Man, that movie got me #shook.
The first piece of adolescence that the movie addresses is the pivotal thirteenth year, perfectly described in just this picture.
Ah, yes. The awkward hair and outfit phase, the acne phase. Almost everyone that has survived adolescence has gone through this rough period of time. You can't help but feel bad for Nadine (the character Hailee Steinfeld portrays in the film) as she compares herself to Pedro from Napoleon Dynamite. We've all had those days where we feel like an ugly duckling, or that ugly character from that one movie. As cliche as it sounds, "it's all part of growing up and becoming who you truly are".
As Nadine continues to grow up, she encounters difficult hardships. I'm not going to reveal any major spoilers, but I will say that one of the hardships she faces is her sense of belongingness. More specifically, where she fits in and what she can do to fit in, or at least try to. She tells herself in the trailer, "don't be awkward. Socialize." If I had a dollar for every time I told myself that when I'm in a new environment and know pretty much no one, I'd be pretty rich by now. Most people don't know this about me, but I'm really shy when it comes to meeting new people. For me to sit down at a table where I only know one person is actually really intimidating to me--it's a good day when I actually muster up the courage to become sociable. The thought of sitting down at a table where I know no one is absolutely nerve-wracking. For me to see this particular part in the movie was actually very...refreshing. Someone else gets it, someone else knows how it feels to be a socially awkward human being.
Another thing Steinfeld's character grapples with is her self confidence. It's something she has struggled with since childhood and continues to struggle with it as she grows up. This goes hand in hand with her struggling with her sense of belongingness as well. This lack of confidence makes her feel so lost and confused, like she doesn't belong anywhere. It's a feeling that so many teenagers grapple with every single day. It's a feeling that many teens feel while going through depression. According to ineedalighthouse.org, "approximately 20% of teens will experience depression before they reach adulthood" and "depression increases a teen's risk for attempting suicide by 12 times".
I think the main reason that Hailee does a phenomenal job in this movie because she is a teen. She's only 19 years old, and although she's had a very fortunate life the past couple of years, she knows what it feels like to try to find who you are, what you're good at, what you can do to fit in, and figure out what your place is in this world. She's dealt with friendships, dating, the whole nine yards. This movie is so relatable to young adults because someone actually--and accurately--portrays what teendom is like. It captures the highs, the lows, and all the in-betweens.
Please. Go see it. You won't regret it.
If you're interested in the movie after reading this, click here to watch the trailer.
