The Art of Getting By

This is one of those movies that starts out well but seems to disappoint in the end.

It's beautifully shot and edited, and we see many fine performances. I found Emma Roberts particularly appealing, as she has a dour, come-hither look in her dark eyes about 95% of the time. What Ingrid Bergman could achieve by looking down, Roberts does by looking almost right at us.

Freddie Highmore looks and feels authentic. His character has a lot of choices to make, many of which go against all common sense. But although he drives us crazy, he's intriguing and we want to know what's to happen to him.

Mid-movie, the characters are hit with several crises, and it gets interesting as we wonder how they'll resolve them. When resolution strikes, though, it's so conventional that it's disappointing. The expected is unexpected.

Yup, it has indie-feel and Sundance all over it. But I was hoping for a big surprise at the end from these flawed but good people; instead, they seemed to abandon what they had stood for. And what may have qualified as a surprise involving Roberts was simply unbelievable and too convenient to accept. Though I was happy for them, a simple, happy ending didn't feel right with these non-simple characters.

But then, maybe, that was the point.

The teenage rebel, full of angst, and feeling alienated through their own defeatist philosophies, once perfected in Holden Caulfield, is on display here again in George (Freddie Highmore). He has the typical advanced vocabulary and expected intellect, but boredom for school and life. "What's the point if you're just going to die alone?"

"The Art of Getting By" tried to straddle the line between drama and comedy. Expecting us to laugh at George's despondency but then expecting us to feel for his life's difficulties. Although both comedic and dramatic elements were present, it was missing a touch of realism to help build the connection for the audience.

Is it about getting the girl, finding your path in life, or just graduating high school? Of course it's about all of that, but at times it seemed to be about none of that. Its aimlessness in telling me what the point of it all was, seemed a little juvenile. It's a teen coming-of-age film, probably meant for the twenty-something crowd, but missing any greater meaning to fulfill its audience.

It's the type of story that gets told frequently, but it also needs to be told frequently. It can get old quickly if you've seen better versions, and I, unfortunately, have seen better versions. I love Highmore and Emma Roberts, and this is exactly the type of roles they need to launch their adult career. I was impressed with Michael Angarano playing the older, if not any more mature, slacker artist who could have easily disappeared into adolescent oblivion, but instead found some meat in his role and really stood out.

"The Art of Getting By" desperately needs the love it received from Sundance, because it's not going to get much of anything else. Which is a shame because it's not a bad movie but I don't think the filmmakers ever found the point they wanted to make.

This independent picture first titled "Homework" then changed to "The Art of Getting By" wasn't nothing great, yet it's story brings back memories of the times when most remember that being their high school days. When we struggled for social acceptance, worried about making good grades and getting into college. And most of all finding the right first love that you were mad about! And this film covers all of those themes.

Set in New York City at a prep high school you have an odd and lonely out of place boy George(Freddie Highmore) who's searching for social acceptance while he slacks and struggles with his grades. Also his mother Vivian(Rita Wilson) is having problems of her own with George's stepfather and money woes are painful. It's upon meeting a girl that George has loved from a distance that gives him hope. Enter Sally(good performance from Emma Roberts)a southern girl who's moved north with her sexy and extroverted mother Charlotte(Elizabeth Reaser). And as typical the ups and downs of meeting, partying, and hanging out come and go and the typical hormones rage also. In the end George learns both a discovery of art and love. Overall nothing great it's somewhat predictable still it's theme and message is memorable and true this film is an all right watch.

Most movies you only really watch once, unless its like American Beauty or Superbad, where it takes a fair few watches to get old. Without a doubt this movie is great, the character 'George' is one of those characters in a film who's name you search afterwards to find other movies with they've featured in, as he plays the role of a; confused, troubled, intelligent, different teenager who most could relate to at that age. If you want a movie that makes you think afterwards and can relate to, then I'd say watch it. It's great for a night in, but I'd say the downfalls is the fact that yet again like most of these types of films is predictable, but other than that I'd say the acting is great and its enjoyable to say the least.

So I happened to notice quite a great deal of people hold negative opinions on this movie. That's why I wanted to share my 2 cents.

Basically, the movie was what I expected it to be. Meaning: no blockbuster, no real Hollywood production, no mind-blowing action. A movie with a slice of life, just like 500 Days of Summer (come to think of it, it gets close to it in some ways, even if perhaps a little less mature). If you're looking for these exact characteristics, you may be better of looking for a different movie.

So what to expect from it? First of all: it does not aim towards shocking you. It delivers a message, apparent from the introduction we get at the start of the movie. Starting a movie with a quote is bold, yet it's also original and different. It sets the tone perfectly. So George is this high-school guy who has a different hobby, drawing. He gets so worked up in it that when he does, he loses sight of all his surroundings (anyone who's creative will relate, as do I). On top of this he holds a pessimistic view on life, basically saying 'we're all going to die anyway so what's the point'? Now I know a lot of people will consider this to be 'emo' or whatever, but it's not. Honestly. I plead guilty: I myself often think in this manner. In fact, I can relate so much to George that by the end of the movie, I sat with my mouth open, totally freaked out and overwhelmed, still am. He's the different one, the outcast, the guy nobody knows and everyone ignores. Yet people tend to forget that being quiet doesn't equal being an uninteresting person. On the contrary: this movie likes to show us the other side of the coin. So my conclusion would be that if you often feel misunderstood, or have lost motivation for life in general, this movie would definitely be the way to go, as it requires a certain mindset I believe...

What is so interesting about the movie, is that we see a great deal of changes in George's life from the moment he meets Sally. It triggers different actions and revelations in his life that are irreversible, as is often the case with love in real life too. It basically shows us that loved ones can change one's life for the better, even in a not always positive way. Love surpasses most joys of life, as it surpasses most of its burdens.

There were times when I was slightly annoyed. I was aware there were times where I would tell myself 'just do it/just say it!'. There are many awkward silences in the movie, which are automatically transferred to the watcher's feelings. I wanted to jump into the movie, help G. out, because life can be difficult, more so when you're an introvert. And even more so when love's involved. (personal rant ahead) The world of today is all about extroverts, people who are eloquent and sociable, certainly not something George can boast about.

The amount of growth George shows while struggling with his problems really makes the movie. You see him get out of his shell, while not losing his edge. It's not your typical American movie with happy ending, all's well that ends well. Again, just like life is a lot of the time.

I'd advise anyone to have a look. This movie has been a hidden gem for me and it perfectly fits my taste for movies. Be prepared for some thinking and awkwardness from time to time and when that's OK with you, you'll love it. If this is not what appeals to you, then it will probably not be your cup of tea. If you are an artist and have lost motivation and/or inspiration, you should feel compelled to absorb what this movie has to offer.

If you do enjoy this movie, don't forget to take a look at: '500 days of Summer' and 'It's kind of a funny story', which both are pretty close in terms of atmosphere to this one.