Teenage Dirtbag

I extremely enjoyed this indie gem from the first minute to the last, even though the concept and the various topics, which have been touched in the movie (hatred turning to love, broken home, fitting in, far-from-perfect high school environment), cannot be called authentic. The idea, however, that a certain conflict originating in one's deviation from the average on whatever grounds can be overcome by the power of words is refreshing. Here poetry is the key to annihilate the barriers between the main characters. Through the creative writing class the characters embark on letting each other peek under the surface to discover who they really are. Probably that's why the male leader is so obnoxious when we first encounter him, whereas later it is unavoidable not to like him or at least not to sympathise with him.

Poignant film with elaborate characters, nice soundtrack and brilliant poems.

Just watched it and it drew from me every emotion the director desired and then some. As the movie began I immediately thought it was older than 2009 as nothing jumped out at me that said it was a 2009 movie. It appeared to be a high school type movie but it slowly drew me in like a classical novel. I viewed troubled teenagers while easily placing myself in the lead's character role. The lead follows and mildly harasses his dream girl in school. However, the movie is so much more than your typical standard HS movie about the different groups we all experience in H.S. as it brings the creative writing element into the picture and a young troubled male opens himself up to a creative writing class but with the intent of opening himself to the girl only. Study hall leads to a fondness perhaps a forbidden fondness between the two as they are very different people experiencing life from different ends of the spectrum but not really so different. Highly recommended movie about love, different groups in High School and the darkness of a broken home. This movie can be depressing as love can often be and while it shows many aspects of a broken home and perhaps a broken lead character it can lead to strong internal hurts for those that may have experienced similar circumstances in life. I recommend viewing on a Saturday afternoon and then going out and being active so not to linger in the emotional strings that it will surely tug at within you. Rarely does a movie pull at you emotionally like this one and that makes it a true treasure

This is my first ever review. I have never felt the need to spread a movie, or voice my opinion before, but I find myself angry that more people have not seen this movie. It is a movie unlike any other. Scott M foster portrays Thayer Mangeris, a delinquent and a somewhat bad boy from a broken home, who grows a connection with Amber Lang, played by Noa Hegesh, through the creative writing class they have together, and their frequent correspondence in study hall via a notebook. Noa, who has never liked Thayer before, having been forced always to sit with him due to their naming order, finds herself growing feelings for this wrong side of the tracks boy. i wont say anything more but this: buy a copy of this movie, for a guarantee you will be watching it again and again.

I agree with most of the good reviews of this movie. It affected me really hard. Although I didn't like the poem part because I don't know..I do that when I'm in some emotional personal thoughts and thinking of death. It is small budget film and some unknown actors but who cares? I give them an A. The pacing, acting and directing was great. I also never thought it is a 2009 movie. I was getting into a deep feeling at the end when he's really desperate in getting the girl but why couldn't he just say 'I like/love you' straightforward? Just thinking I thought he could be a lot bolder..Really good movie..Worth a watch. I also like the movie soundtrack at the end, it is tragic but beautiful. Too bad popular movies don't have this.

I streamed this film on Netflix and honestly, wasn't expecting much. I figured it would be a "bad-boy likes and gets the good-girl" type of cliché film. Boy, was I surprised. This film is a really good story that pulls you in and holds you until the end. The two main characters are both so intense. You can seriously feel their emotions and you cheer for them, you get caught up in their stories. There were parts of this movie that were hard to watch because they are so true-to-life. The filmmakers also paid special attention to the time period, capturing the feel of the late 90s perfectly. This is how high school was for me when I attended school during this period. I remember like Thayer and Amber, being forced in study hall to sit next to this guy I barely knew, and over the course of the year we became friends, writing notes in our notebooks, taking turns bringing snacks, and finding ways to dodge the attention of the grouchy study hall monitor. I was totally able to get wrapped up in the story. I was really impressed with this film and highly recommend it.