Whatever

While many will write this off as a slow and plotless waste of celluloid, I found it to be an excellent portrayal of the disconnection and confusion that plagues our youth. Sad to say, this could have had a "based on a true story" title card at the beginning. I've known girls who expressed their praise towards this film for it captures their growing-up period perfectly. If it feels like it's going nowhere, well that just adds to the film's realism. Unlike KIDS, the lead character finally is conscious of her transgressions and thus finds redemption. I find that reason alone, as well as the entire film, worthy of the recognition that it deserves. Rent it with an open mind...

The most striking thing about this movie was the depth of the characters. Maybe it's because I'm a child of the Eighties, but I recognized everybody in the movie from my adolescence. (There was actually one exception. The english teacher wasn't like anybody I've ever met.) I've rarely seen a movie populated with characters who were this realistic.

Which brings up the second reason I really liked this movie. The situations the characters found themselves in were very realistic. I like stories about teenagers who thwart gangs of smugglers as much as the next guy, but it was a nice change to watch a movie about real people dealing with real life. It was sort of like a Lifetime chick flick, but with almost all of the melodrama removed so you can enjoy it.

I saw this film quite by accident one night on one of the sky movies channels. I wasn't sure about it at the start, but it was one of those films that you start watching not intending to finish watching it, but them get into it. This is what happened with me and in the end i thought it was an excellent movie.

Mr. Stanley was like my maths teacher and the art teacher just like my art teacher; enthusiastic, encouraging, and all round fantastic teacher.

I think the strong leading female character, Anna, was well acted and portrayed very realistically. Both female actresses are very talented and deserve all good that has come out of this film.

It wasn't originally my intent to comment on this film, but, after seeing some of the idiotic postings denigrating this fine effort, I felt compelled.

I was rather taken aback by the honesty of this tale. To quibble about the automobiles or the Hardee's cups shows such a lack of perception as to what was attempted here, that it truly boggles the mind.

The dissenting voices here clearly prefer the artificial, rose-colored-glasses view of high school as offered by "Sixteen Candles" or other films of John Hughes. But, for most, and maybe this realization only becomes apparent once one has some significant distance from one's high school experience, for most the high school experience is NOT a star-spangled memory a la "Ridgemont High", "Dazed and Confused", or even "American Graffiti".

These formulative years, more often than not, are times of discovery, of embarrassment, of confusion. and of long stretches of boring and mundane matters.

Writer/director Skoog captured, with no illusion whatsoever, the awkwardness of this period, with the realism and honesty worthy of of a Ken Loach or Mike Leigh. For most people, life is NOT "Ten Things I Hate About You", it is about self-discovery and awareness, and sorting out one's rightful place in the human equation. Skoog's two main characters superbly realized this human comedy.

Anna is a beautiful, talented young girl who has not come to grips with either her talent nor her beauty. She is so easily buffeted by the forces surrounding her, be it her bad-girl best friend or the men who are more than willing to introduce her to the awkwardness of sexual initiation, that it is often heartbreaking to watch.

The fact of the matter is that bad things happen to good people, and in watching Anna attempt to navigate her way through her voyage of discovery, the film subtly explores its themes with rare honesty.

The treatment of sexuality is amongst the film's strongpoints. The peer pressure to conform and the curiosity of the unknown is explored with sensitivity. The bare boobs approach of most teen films is abandoned here for a heartfelt examination of the myriad of forces that are involved in human sexuality...the various dynamics, be they sexual or power, that make the experience a lot more than just a procreative act.

These aren't "characters", these are living, breathing people with inexplicable, self-destructive urges as well as a completely realistic complacency that often allows them to be drawn into situations that are not in their best interests.

This is one of the finest coming-of-age films I have ever seen. If you are a mature, perceptive cinema lover without need for an artificial, romanticized approach to the teen experience, do yourself a favor and check out, "Whatever".

Okay, this was not light entertainment, as so many teenager flicks are. Perhaps I am biased, because it is set in a place and time not too different from my own high school years, but this rang true to my recollections of HS. certainly better than Sixteen Candles, Say anything, etc.. (not that I don't enjoy those movies, but...) This was a less polished Breakfast Club, without the sappy smarmy feel good ending. Mostly.

Ms. Weil was very engaging, attractive enough and very believable, without being the usual beauty queen female lead common to HS films. Particularly revealing was the two girls talking about her loss of virginity, when she says "It felt really good at first. Then he put it in." and her friend replies "yeah, it does kind of hurt. Unless you're drunk." Not great wisdom, but probably recalls many girls first experiences.