The Age of Reason

Teen movie! Expect teenagers and teenage problems. Do not expect fancy anything. I don't care about the budget! I don't care how it was shot! What I care about is if it speaks to the audience it is aimed at. It does! After that, it is worth what I rated it. There are funny moments. And there is even a worthy quote or two. If you are looking for something with all the ribbons and bows, all the flash stuff that makes so many movies boring for a thinking audience, I think there is a bland movie house near you full of them. If you are looking for something that says something, without 7 tons of hype, maybe this movie might just be for you. I do suggest you are a teenager (or at least remember what being one was like). Hey! It might even be more than an 'Okay' movie.

"The Age of Reason" (2014 releases; 92 min.) brings the story of how a couple of teenagers are dealing with the boredom of summer while facing an uncertain future. As the movie opens, we seen Oz and Freddy, longtime best buddies. wreck havoc at the local dump, smashing cars, etc. Soon after, the get to know Ruby, a teenage girl whose family has just moved into the neighborhood. Oz has an invite for a major league baseball tryout in Nashville, but can he leave his little sister and alcoholic dad behind? Meanwhile Freddy is trying to figuring out what he could be good at. Both boy have their eyes on Ruby. To tell you more would spoil your viewing experience, you'll just have to see for yourself how it all plays out.

Couple of comments: first, the movie is co-written and directed by Jordan Harris and Andrew Schrader. I can't say that I am familiar with them, so I'm guessing this is one of their first films, if not the very first. They do a good job setting the framework for the suburban boredom and uncertainly that these youngsters experience. In particular the Freddy character, rather than the Oz or Ruby character, oozes teenage wasteland frustration and rage. Second., there are some nice acting performances, none more so than the three teenage leads, Myles Tufts as Oz, Blake Sheldon as Freddy, and Megan Devine as Ruby, whom recently also starred briefly in "Boyhood". Last but not least, there is a great indie music soundtrack to the movie, including 5 or 6 songs from Ty Segall, but also songs from Allah-Las (one of my favorite bands right now), Summer Twins, and others.

I recently saw this movie at the 2014 Cincinnati Film Festival. This is by no means a major festival, and they focus exclusively on under-the-radar indies (such as this movie) and documentaries (both short and long form). I have no idea if "The Age of Reason" will find a larger audience. If you have a chance to check this out either at a festival or in the theaters or eventually on DVD/Blu-ray, I'd readily suggest that you do that.

This movie viewed like a well done college film project. Question, who taxidermied the monster? The viewer is left pondering which decade each of the characters are set in. Oz resembles the kid from Dazed and Confused if he grew up in an alcoholic household. Freddy's mom is clearly from the 1950s greatest generation. Finally, the kid in the bushes needs serious psychological help. Ow and Ruby's kinda hot but in like a sad way.

Summary says it's about a kid trying out for the major leagues, but all you get in the first part of the movie is radical liberal punks trying to be thugs. More Hollyweird liberal crap that you shouldn't waste your time on. "Next movie!!"

Filmed with an iPhone, written by a couple of 12 year olds who have no friends, and the actors couldn't hold down a job cleaning floors at Walmart. This is BEYOND bad!!!