Eleanor // Jason Gurley

Why I'm reading
I almost skipped over this -- it seemed like your typical tug-on-your-heartstrings mother-daughter story. Then halfway through the summary, suddenly... Scifi?

Where I got the book
Received this from LibraryThing's early reviewer program.

Expectations
The summary was strange. 99% of it reads like something from Lifetime or Oprah's book list, until I realized trite phrases like "Eleanor's painful reality begins to unravel" and "Eleanor is torn from her world" are happening literally.

So how was it?

Eleanor is the story of three generations of women... mostly making each other miserable. It spans forty years (1962-1996), with a plot that jumps between Eleanor, her daughter Agnes', her daughters Eleanor (junior) and Esmeralda, and -- ready for the Scifi? -- a mysterious rift dimension. Oh, and a series of husbands/fathers who don't really help the situation.

I've been calling this all Scifi, but it's not really Science Fiction. It has the freedom and imagination of Scifi, but there's no science involved; it's closer to mythology. I would probably call it Fantasy, but it has no relation to familiar High Fantasy exemplified by Tolkien.

Recommendation
Extremely similar to the video game Life is Strange -- love, tragedy, time travel, and relationships between women. Vaguely similar to Donnie Darko, except A) it's not super-pretentious, and B) I didn't hate it.

Feels
Deals with grief and pain between generations of women. The cosmology reminds me of Egyptian or Tolkien's mythology.

Favorites
I thought I'd hate the myriad of characters introduced, but it was satisfying once everything came together. The story didn't constantly need to ram its own mystery/suspense down the reader's throat.

Least favorites
I guess I like that it bounced around between characters/times, but it did that a little too much.

Mockingjay // Suzanne Collins {Audiobook}

Why I'm reading
Duh.

Where I got the book
Greeeeeeenwich.

Expectations
Finally getting to this whole rebellion thing.

So how was it?

After being rescued in Catching Fire, and bumming around with what is probably several layers of PTSD, Katniss ends up the Mockingjay: the rebellion's figurehead. There’s lots of arguing about everything, a new flavor of makeover, and actual rebellion-fighting action! Then she sets off with a small elite squad and the real action actually starts. Also, Peeta’s all sorts of messed up.

This vastly exceeded my expectations. Not so much in terms of plot, but in terms of how Collins handles the emotional aspects of war. There's a brief afterword at the end (read by the author in the audiobook) explaining how she came up with the idea: she was flipping through channels, and saw  young reality TV stars juxtaposed against young soldiers in Iraq. I'm so glad I stuck around for the afterword (I usually don't read them) because it explains how this book had such an impact; the plot and the characters are your typical dystopian thriller, but there's a strong undercurrent of -- I don't know what to call it, but it reminds me of M*A*S*H.

The afterword also explained why I was constantly thinking jeez, I really hope they filmed this shot-for-shot, the scenes are set up perfectly for film -- Collins worked in TV!

Recommendation
Well, if you’ve made it this far…

Feels
Like everyone’s dying and you don’t have time to care. Seriously, just assume everyone dies. Not everyone does, but at least then you'll be -- let's not say pleasantly surprised, but at least not totally crushed.

Favorites
Continues to be Finnick and Haymitch, although Haymitch plays a smaller role this time. The shenanigans with the camera crew. Katniss’ last arrow.

Least favorites
The whole thing with Peeta was a little silly initially, but I guess it served its purpose. I also wasn't a fan of the way she wrote the fire... thing at the very end.

So what did I really think?

Click "read more"... massive spoilers ahead!

Hunger Games // Suzanne Collins {Audiobook}

Why I'm reading
I feel like a bad librarian for not having read Hunger Games yet. That's me, always late to the party!

Where I got the book
Overdrive from Greenwich Library.

Expectations
I've seen the first movie, so more or less (more, it turns out) know the plot.

So how was it?

The movie stuck fairly close to the plot -- and feel -- of the book, so it was what I expected: a dystopian future, where North America is split into twelve districts, each of which sends two 'tribute' citizens to compete in the Hunger Games.

The book is always better (of course) but in this case, the movie had no chance; as a film medium, it just can't get the same message across. In the book, we understand that Katniss is playing things up for the camera, that everything she feels/does is filtered through the lens of being watched and fighting for her life, and that she's disgusted by the audience watching her -- all things that are nearly impossible to convey to... well, an audience watching her. Jennifer Lawrence actually does a fantastic job conveying the right blank-face disgust and terror.

I've held back on watching the other movies, because I don't want to spend the rest of the series comparing the two (hey, it worked for LotR!)

Recommendation
If you liked the movie, you'll like the book. It's got a little of everything: fighting, survival, romance, a little bit of a psychological thrill (like a spy novel), family drama, and pageantry -- but definitely heavy on the fighting and survival.

Feels
Fast-paced without being ridiculous or confusing. The romance elements are a bit annoying, but honest and don't have any real resolution.

Favorites
It's nothing groundbreaking, but I really appreciated the detail and honesty given to Katniss' relationships -- they're allowed to be conflicted and confusing. She doesn't understand the motives behind her own actions, especially when it comes to Peeta.

Least favorites
Suddenly werewolves? Or something? I can see why they downplayed that in the movie.

Writing style
Easily accessible, descriptive, just the tiniest bit cheesy. Lots of flashbacks.

So what did I really think?

Click "read more"... massive spoilers ahead!

Tinker Tailor Soldier Spy // Gary Oldman {Movie}

Why I'm watching
Okay, the Cumberbatch kick inspired me to finally borrow it, and it came on my radar because of Tom Hardy... but I’m really watching this for Gary Oldman. And, y'know, because it looks like a legitimately interesting movie.

Where I got the movie
Greenwich. What what.

Expectations
A great spy thriller.

So how was it?

Oh my god, this was the best spy thriller… and absolutely not what you probably want or expect when looking for a spy thriller. It’s quiet. It’s desperate. There are zero gun fights, kung-fu fights, crazy surprise plots -- but if you have the attention span, it will keep you on the edge of your seat.

Basically, it follows the interpersonal drama of a spy agency in the 70s, on the tail end of the Cold War. Yeah, I said interpersonal. That’s real espionage, folks: finding out which one of your trusted allies is the mole. George Smiley (Gary Oldman) is the main character, brought out of retirement to find the mole among his former peers -- peers who forced him into retirement in the first place. He enlists two younger spies (Hardy and Cumberbatch) to quietly sort everything out.

The timeline jumps all over the place, which makes it a little hard to follow, but pulls the mystery together beautifully.

Recommendation
Fans of quiet suspense. Not for anyone expecting Bond or Bourne.

Feels
Sly. Thrilling, but realistic. Quiet.

Favorites
Gary Oldman, oh my lord, that creepy-sly-good poker face.

Least favorites
Getting ahold of the timeline was a struggle -- especially because I wasn’t expecting it.

Peacock // Cillian Murphy {Movie}

Why I'm watching
Cillian Murphy is one of my favorite actors, so I’m slowly working through his filmography.

Where I got the movie
Amazon Prime (I think?)

Expectations
Cillian Murphy being ridiculously convincing in a dress; a more ‘traditional’ transexual/transvestite role (plus a healthy dose of crazy) since Kitten was closer to gender fluid. The synopsis and trailer don’t give a lot away about the plot, but it does suggest that he’s either hiding his cross-dressing or has split personalities.

So how was it?

John Skillpa (Cillian Murphy) is a bank teller in a small town -- and he’s got a secret (dun dun dun!). After a freak train accident in his backyard, his secret life -- Emma Skillpa -- is exposed to his gossipy small-town community.

Recommendation
It’s easy to boil this movie down to keywords (psychological drama, gender identity, multiple personalities) but it actually felt very accessible, like any mainstream serious drama.

Feels
Not a ‘fun’ movie in any sense of the word, but it was a lot more… playful? psychological? than I was expecting.

Favorites
Putting brown contact lenses on Cillian Murphy was a booooold move, but it allowed him to create a more inward and earthy character; his blue eyes are just too WOAH for someone like John Skillpa. I like that they put that much thought into the character.

Also, the breakfast scene.

Least favorites
I can’t separate out the parts that I didn’t like from the parts where Murphy’s super awkward insecure character (rightly) makes me uncomfortable.

Etiquette & Espionage // Gail Carriger {Audiobook}

I listen to a lot of audiobooks (no way!) on the way to and from work, but at work I’m mostly limited to music, stand-up comedy, and whatever audiobooks I can find on Spotify or Google Play.

UNTIL NOW!

Overdrive sent an email out a few weeks ago that they would be adding an in-browser player, similar to their in-browser reader for ebooks. I just tried it out for the first time, aaaaand it’s fantastic. I haven’t tried it on my phone yet, but the phone app lets you download files to play, so that might be friendlier for my data plan.

Why I'm reading
I was just looking through Overdrive for something to test out the in-browser audiobook reader, and this seemed interesting.

Where I got the book
Overdrive, Greenwich library.

Expectations
Your standard YA fare, hopefully not too self-involved or full of tropes.

So how was it?

Set in a Victorian steampunk era, the Finishing School series follows the rambunctious Sophronia as she’s whisked away Hogwarts-style to Mademoiselle Geraldine's finishing school… except it doesn’t seem to be a normal finishing school. She meets a variety of friends, learns skills like eyelash-flutter manipulation and wafting poisonous perfume, and embarks on various little plots and adventures.

It's definitely meant for the younger side of the YA audience, but it's a nice guilty pleasure read you don't actually have to feel all that guilty about.

Recommendation
Younger YA readers or older readers looking for something quick and fun; fans of the “special school” trope (like Harry Potter’s Hogwarts); steampunk fans.

Feels
Fun, light-hearted, with somewhat believable characters (if not plot).

Favorites
Sophronia’s friends are extremely tropey, but they’re done well and don’t feel fake or forced. Some of the stuff they learn in class is hilarious, particularly anything having to do with their "decolletage"...

Least favorites
There wasn’t anything I particularly disliked. Everything is predictable and tropey, but the story isn’t trying to be anything it’s not.

Writing style
As far as the writing itself goes, I had no urge to pull out the red pen. The teenage characters and fairly simple action/spy plot make this clearly a YA book, but with not quite as much focus romantic sub-plots (although there are several), and Sophronia actually pulls off the “just a normal girl” trope by 1) actually acting like a normal, reasonably headstrong girl, 2) not making a big deal about how normal/not special/average she is, and 3) not describing herself every five sentences. I'm fairly certain I didn't even know her hair color until several chapters in.

Choose Your Own Autobiography // Neil Patrick Harris {Audiobook}

Want to read about the life of a gregarious, gay, well-adjusted child actor turned magician, Broadway-TV-movie star, and family man? Yes. Yes you do.

Why I'm reading
It’s Neil Patrick Harris! 

Actually, there is a “why I’m not reading” for this book, or at least a “why I’m listening to the audiobook instead.” I love the idea of a choose-your-own-adventure autobiography, but I always tried to read those wrong, with my fingers bookmarking each and every possible outcome. Plus, I’ve been listening to a lot of autobiographies recently, and for those a book just can’t beat an audiobook read by the author. 


Where I got the book
Audiobook, Greenwich, etc. etc.

Expectations
Fun showbiz stuff, Dougie Howser, sappy stuff about his husband.

So how was it?

It was pretty much exactly what I was expecting. Maybe even more what-I-expected than I was actually expecting (...?!). And of course, since it’s in the format of a choose-your-own-adventure book, it’s peppered with exaggerated fake endings.

I did notice that NPH stuck almost entirely to the positives in his life. I can hardly complain about it, because it was an artistic (and personal) choice that made the book a very fun read... and I'm not all that surprised, either. NPH has always struck me as the kind of person who has a very open and outgoing personality, but is pretty guarded about deeper feelings.

He also talks exactly the right amount about his kids -- you get a glimpse into a very important part of his life, but you don't feel like he just strapped you to the couch and pulled out twelve photo albums and a heap of parenting books.

Recommendation
NPH fans (of course) and basically anyone interested in celebrities.

Feels
Fun, lighthearted, honest, loving, hilarious.

Favorites
Dougie Howser days, of course. I also like how he talked about figuring out his sexuality, but it wasn’t this whole big over dramatic thing… just something he slowly figured out. His stories about David Burtka were adorable.

Least favorites
I really wish he went into more detail about Hedwig (what can I say?) or mentioned John Cameron Mitchell. I’ve seen interviews where he clearly has interesting JCM stories.

Writing style
Awesome. Basically, Barney Stinson telling a really awesome story, except take away all the Barney craziness.

The Importance of Being Earnest // Oscar Wilde

I’m pretty sure I read most, if not all, of this on a train -- going to see Hedwig when I finished it up, but I can’t for the life of me remember where I was going when I started it.  

Why I'm reading
Honestly? It was free, and it’s pretty famous. Ironically, in retrospect, the name Ernst was also pretty intriguing.

Where I got the book
Project Gutenberg, read on my phone using Google Books. Get it here.

Expectations
I have no idea what it’s about.

So how was it?

Okay, so this was both shorter and dumber than I thought it would be, as well as being a play instead of prose. It starts with a conversation between two friends, both of whom are guilty of bunburying -- having two identities, one in the country and one in the city, as an excuse to get out of things they don’t want to do. And of course, romantic hijinks ensue.

I’m actually very happy I read this after a few books like Pride and Prejudice… it’s an absurd take on all those little misunderstandings, complicated family relations, and forbidden love triangles.

Recommendation
Fans of absurdities and romantic comedies.

Feels
Lighthearted, trivial, exaggerated.

Favorites
The word “bunburying,” and the cucumber sandwiches.

Least favorites
It’s too stupid for me to love it, but nothing really sucked. What did suck was the opera version I listened to -- or tried to listen to. Awful. And not your typical boring opera sort of awful.

Writing style
Flippant, fast, complex.

10 Film Collection // Fred Astaire and Ginger Rogers {Movie}

I had at least two, maybe three pages written out for all of this... and then hit Ctrl+Z, which apparently on Blogger means "delete everything and don't let me retrieve it."

Yeah, I write everything in Google Drive first, now.

Flying Down to Rio 
The first appearance of Fred and Ginger together... as supporting actors! They're friends with the leading man and lady, and have their own little romance in the background. Flying Down to Rio features a ton of elaborate group numbers, and not too much plot: band-leader guy and hot rich girl fall for each other, girl has to go back home to a quasi-arranged marriage, they all work together to save the hotel, and everything works out in the end.

I hate to spoil a decades-old movie, but the quasi-arranged fiancé is my favorite part of this story, for being a total bro. 

Also notable: a crazy elaborate dance number that involves strapping dancing girls to airplanes.

Gay Divorce 
It’s… not what you’re thinking; it’s not even a pun. This was way back when “gay” actually just meant happy. Guy (Astaire) falls in love with Mimi (Rogers), who is having none of it. Mimi is conveniently trying to get a divorce, and her lawyer -- also Guy’s good friend -- tells her to fake an affair with a paid co-respondent. She mistakes Guy for the co-respondent, and shenanigans ensue.

Don’t ask me what exactly a co-respondent is, but the character is pretty hilarious.

This is one of those movies that hinges on mistaken identities and people not using their words. It’s also one of those movies where Fred is super crazy stalkerish. Dude does not take no for an answer; we’re talking car chase stalker. I think they intended it to be goofy and romantic, but it’s actually pretty terrifying.

Roberta 
Haven’t gotten to this one yet!

Top Hat 
Another series of mistaken identities: guy falls for girl, girl mistakes guy for his married friend, guy stalks girl all over the place until they finally figure it out.

Also featuring the co-respondent from Gay Divorce, this time as a fashion designer.

Follow the Fleet 
Haven’t gotten to this one yet!

Swing Time 
Haven’t gotten to this one yet!

Shall We Dance 
Haven’t gotten to this one yet!

Carefree 
This was both cute and crazypants. Fred’s a (hilariously outdated) psychiatrist who, as a favor to a friend, treats his friend’s fiancée for… being wishy-washy about their engagement? Like, that’s a thing they could do back then?

Anyway, hypnotism happens, she falls in love with him, he sets her back on the fiancé with hypnotism -- but, oh no! He’s fallen in love with her. Clearly it’s time for more hypnotism.

Vernon and Irene Castle 

The actual Vernon and Irene

This was surprisingly good. It’s the movie that made me pick up this collection, since the Castles were some of the earliest promoters of ballroom dancing. As far as I could tell (with my vast Wikipedia powers) it’s fairly factual, and it doesn’t pull any punches.

It also has a much more complicated plot than any of the other movies, following the Castles from first meeting, through their dance career and Vernon’s military service, to the end of their marriage.



The Barkelys of Broadway 
The last of Fred and Ginger’s movies, reuniting them after ten years apart. It’s also a lot less ditzy than their earlier movies. It follows a husband and wife musical comedy duo who are trying to break out of comedy and into more serious dancing/entertainment. With their marriage on the rocks, Dinah (Ginger) tries her hand at acting, while Josh (Astaire) secretly helps her out.

An Abundance of Katherines // John Green {Audiobook}

Why I'm reading
The path to me reading John Green was a strange one. I'm a huge fan of SciShow and CrashCourse, two YouTube channels run by Hank and John Green -- who started their YouTube endeavors with Vlog Brothers. Hank Green is this perfect blend of hot and obnoxiously nerdy but you didn't hear that from me...  Meanwhile, the YA world has been abuzz about The Fault in Our Stars by John Green... yeah, it took me way too long to realize John Green is John Green. That was the little extra push I needed to read these YA books everyone has been in love with.

Where I got the book

I'm actually listening to this via CD audiobook in the car, on the way to my new job (yay!) in Greenwich (boo!) Naturally the audiobook is from Greenwich library.

Expectations
Whiny teenage boy plot; fun, friendly, slightly goofy writing style, if Hank's videos are anything to go by.

So how was it?

An Abundance of Katherines is a nice, gentle, fairly predictable teenage coming-of-age story. It follows Colin, a child prodigy desperate to become a genius, and his overweight and fairly religious friend Hasan. Colin just got dumped -- by Katherine the Nineteenth, the nineteenth Katherine he's dated -- and Hasan drags him on a road trip. They meet Lindsey Lee Wells in a small town called Gutshot, and Colin works on an equation to predict the course of a relationship between any two people.

I really liked it! I mean, it's not groundbreaking, but all the characters were fairly engaging, and it wasn't too trope-y. The plot isn't over-dramatic, it's not driven by avoidable misunderstandings, and all three main characters actually go through their own independent coming of age experiences.

Recommendation
Young adult readers, definitely. But this could appeal to an adult, I think. Local history and small town communities are actually strong themes, not just a backdrop to romance.

Feels
Slow in terms of drama, but lots of stuff actually happens to make the story interesting. Natural, relaxed, but entertaining.

Favorites
Lindsey Lee Wells, hands down. Normal, salt-of-the-earth girl, going through her own independent identity crisis, just like Colin. She feels like a real person, not a side character in someone else's story.

Least favorites
There really wasn't anything annoying or upsetting about the book, really. Literally the only think I can think of to complain about is that the beginning ramps up this "going on a life-changing roadtrip!!!" feeling, but then they stay in the first town they visit for the rest of the book. Even that's not too bad, though; it's almost like this is just a chunk of a larger road trip story.

Writing style
Easy to read, fun, engaging. Definitely gets in the head of a melodramatic (but still relatively level-headed) teenager.

So what did I really think?

Click "read more"... massive spoilers ahead!

Breakfast on Pluto // Cillian Murphy {Movie}

Why I'm watching
Who can resist Cillian Murphy in drag?

Where I got the movie
Greenwich Library (new job!)

Expectations
Something in the realm of Kinky Boots and Hedwig and the Angry Inch: sexy, heartfelt, and dealing with gender and human nature.

So how was it?

Good, but not exactly what I was expecting. The story follows Patrick "Kitten" Braden, whose sexuality and gender identity are... never directly examined, but you could say transgender. We see him grow up as an abandoned, feminine, and extremely bratty young man in Ireland in the 1970s, fascinated by the mother who abandoned him.

The movie was a lot more subtle than I was expecting -- definitely an Irish production. And it's very, very, very interwoven with the history and politics of 1970s Ireland (yes, that means car bombs.) I wasn't wrong in thinking this would be like Hedwig; if anything, it was more like Hedwig than I was expecting: raw, confused, and personal-political.

Recommendation
Fans of Hedwig and the Angry Inch, 110%. Except the singing.

Feels
Raw, a little mixed up, heartfelt without being melodramatic.

Favorites
The silly spy daydream (hallucination?) was adorable by itself, but really kind of dark in context. I really connected with Kitten's friends; smaller parts, but just as important and interesting.

Least favorites
The CGI birds were unnecessary. Some of the dialog was hard to follow (hey, Irish).

Gone Girl // Directed by David Fincher {Movie}

Why I'm watching

I’ve heard great things about it, one of my favorite musicians did the soundtrack, and the book was flying off the shelves this summer. Alas, I am a bad librarian, and didn’t read the book. 

Where I saw the movie
Our local theater.

So how was it?

How well do you know your loved ones? Nick and Amy live a placid married life, until one day Amy disappears from their suburban home. Her diary, and a romantic scavenger hunt set up for their anniversary, point to her husband as the killer. I can’t summarize too much, because this is the kind of movie you don’t want spoilers for.

Alan came home the next day and said “oh good, you’re still here.” Jerk.

Let’s talk about the music.
Gone Girl is the third soundtrack created by Trent Reznor and Atticus Ross, of Nine Inch Nails fame, in collaboration with director David Fincher. They won an Oscar for their first effort in The Social Network, and later won a Grammy for The Girl with the Dragon Tattoo. Fincher found inspiration at the spa/chiropractor, where the new-age background music was "inauthentically trying to make him feel alright." And… yeah, even if they’d never worked together before, Reznor is exactly the guy you want for music that’s just a little bit off.

I knew about the soundtrack before seeing the movie, but conveniently forgot… until a completely normal, run-of-the-mill, boring cocktail party had me on edge. Without the music, it was a fairly boring expository conversation between two characters; with the music, you can pick up on the claustrophobia and anxiety.

The Wikipedia page has a great write-up of the soundtrack’s development and response from critics. NPR has a great First Listen article. USA Today has some great insight into the theory and mechanics behind the music.

Recommendation
For fans of psychological thrillers. I know it stars Ben Affleck, but this is not a date movie. I repeat: this. is not. a. date. movie.

Feels
Uneasy into downright terrifying. The movie is best described with the inspiration for its soundtrack: new-age music gone bad.

Favorites
Can I pick the whole thing? Because wow, that blew me away. The casting was perfect (yes, even Affleck), the cinematography was great, the pacing of the story was excellent, the plot was interesting and original, the surprises were surprising, and the music - oh my god the music.

Least favorites
I’m not sure how well the movie will stand up to re-watching. The movie doesn’t rely on a big twist (like, say, the 6th Sense) but part of the thrill comes from not knowing what will happen next.

Boyhood // Directed by Richard Linklater {Movie}

A coming-of age drama following a young boy from ages six to eighteen, living in Texas with divorced parents ; filmed in near real-time.

Where I saw the movie
I didn’t drive, so I honestly don’t remember. Oops.

Why I’m watching
Alan's been on about it for years; he's a big fan of the director. And I'll admit, he got me excited for it.

So how was it?

Boyhood was filmed over the course of a decade, using all the same actors. The main character started at about 8 years old, up through 18. It was weird watching everyone age.

I liked it, I thought it was a worthwhile project, but it wasn’t exactly what I was expecting. It wasn’t as fun as it could have been. It wasn’t even as “deep” as it could have been. I didn’t love any of the characters, or even like them very much, but I could empathize with them and understand their decisions. It was just sort of… real. In a way, it was a little disappointing; at the same time, life is a little disappointing, and we see most of the characters go through that. You expect these awesome, meaningful things, but life just sort of happens, and you do the best you can.

Alan described it as “looking through a window at a real person.”

Anyway, I feel like this review is overly negative, and I don’t want to end it like that. It was a good movie, and absolutely worth seeing. It’s something that hasn’t been done before, and it’s an extremely realistic portrayal of life and all its little disappointments and challenges. The acting (except a few teen side characters) is fantastic. Each of the characters is a real complex person, not just the main character’s mom/dad/sister/etc. And I bet that those characters will resonate emotionally for a lot of people who have had similar life experiences. For me, only a few things were close enough to my life to really have an emotional impact: the divorced dad sharing music with his kids, the mom making ends meet (thankfully the only thing she had in common with mine), the teenage whatever and I’m bored.

Recommendation
For people who like portrayals of real life (and don’t need closure).

Feels
The movie didn’t hit me in the feels, really. Some of the decisions left me a little unsettled and annoyed at the characters, while still understanding them. 

Favorites
The cognitive dissonance when he walked into his elementary school classroom, and it looked like every elementary school classroom ever. Suddenly my brain is recognizing stupid posters, door art, reading slogans, fonts, etc. that were entirely forgotten back in the 90s.

Least favorites
Several scenes with teenage actors (other than the main characters) were not very good. There was one scene that felt like a horrible cheesy anti-drugs-and-alcohol PSA, complete with stilted conversation, overt peer pressure, and cheesy teen lingo. The whole movie seemed to put too much emphasis on alcohol, which was a little distracting. I get it: alcoholism is bad. Yeah, I guess teen drinking is sort of bad. But there’s no need to focus the camera meaningfully when random adults are pouring a glass of wine at a low-key party.

Related reading (or viewing):

• The decade-long filming has been done before in movies like American Promise, Paradise Lost, and the non-fiction Up series.