Teen vs Adult Romances

I think that there are good romances on both ends of the spectrum. For example I thought that
A Little Romance (1979) http://www.imdb.com/title/tt0079477/
Little Manhattan (2005) http://www.imdb.com/title/tt0412922/
Flipped (2010) http://www.imdb.com/title/tt0817177/
feature characters in the 11-13 age range. I thought that they were humorous at some points and heartbreaking at others. They depict children stepping into romantic relationships in a very non-condescending way.

I would put Jack and Rose from Titanic into the "teen/young" category. If you do the math, Rose was 17 at the time of the sinking (if she's 101 in the "present day" portions and we're told that the ship sank 84 years ago...) and we're never given the impression that Jack is significantly older (maybe 2-3 years). I think that films featuring young lovers do generally take a different tone, but are no less realistic in terms of the feelings they depict:
Enchantment (1948) http://www.imdb.com/title/tt0040321/
Splendor in the Grass (1961) http://www.imdb.com/title/tt0055471/
The Umbrellas of Cherbourg (1964) The Umbrellas of Cherbourg (1964)
A Room with a View (1985)http://www.imdb.com/title/tt0091867/
Dirty Dancing (1987) http://www.imdb.com/title/tt0092890/
Dogfight (1991)http://www.imdb.com/title/tt0101748/
Before Sunrise (1995) http://www.imdb.com/title/tt0112471/
Circle of Friends (1995) http://www.imdb.com/title/tt0112679/
A Very Long Engagement (2004)http://www.imdb.com/title/tt0344510/
Atonement (2007) http://www.imdb.com/title/tt0783233/
Bright Star (2009) http://www.imdb.com/title/tt0810784/
Never Let Me Go (2010) http://www.imdb.com/title/tt1334260/
Like Crazy (2011)http://www.imdb.com/title/tt1758692/
I'd say these movies feature couples in their late teens through early twenties (a few take place over several years)

In terms of "older" couples (well really adult couples!) I think these are equally moving in a different way because they follow couples though a different place in their lives:
Make Way for Tomorrow (1937)http://www.imdb.com/title/tt0029192/
Brief Encounter (1945)http://www.imdb.com/title/tt0037558/
Marty (1955)http://www.imdb.com/title/tt0048356/
Summertime (1955) http://www.imdb.com/title/tt0048673/
Moonstruck (1987) http://www.imdb.com/title/tt0093565/
In the Mood for Love (2000) http://www.imdb.com/title/tt0118694/
Australia (2008) http://www.imdb.com/title/tt0455824/
Lovely, Still (2008)http://www.imdb.com/title/tt1150947/
Before Sunset (2004) http://www.imdb.com/title/tt0381681/
Before Midnight (2013) http://www.imdb.com/title/tt2209418/

However many of my favorite romances fall into the the category over lovers over time. Thy follow their characters from youth to adulthood/middle age/old age and we see how the relationships change as the characters do:
Random Harvest (1942) http://www.imdb.com/title/tt0035238/
Two for the Road (1967) http://www.imdb.com/title/tt0062407/
The Way We Were (1973) http://www.imdb.com/title/tt0070903/
Same Time, Next Year (1978) http://www.imdb.com/title/tt0078199/
When Harry Met Sally... (1989) http://www.imdb.com/title/tt0098635/
Love Me If You Dare (2003) http://www.imdb.com/title/tt0364517/
One Day (2011) http://www.imdb.com/title/tt1563738/

With Titanic I don't why but even they were supposed to be young the actors acted like adults and looked like adults, I guess I'm the only one insisting they weren't a teen couple since they didn't look like Pattinson or Kristen Stewart in twilight.

Well they were a bit older than Robert Pattinson and Kristen Stewart for one thing. Kristen was 17 when they shot the first Twilight film and Robert Pattinson was 22. When Titanic was shot Kate Winslet was 22 and Leonardo DiCaprio was 23. So that makes some difference.

But also in 1912 relationships in your late teens/early twenties usually led to marriage for women. So Rose needed to look like someone who could conceivably be engaged rather than a child. Whereas today relationships at the same age are generally less serious.

But also in 1912 relationships in your late teens/early twenties usually led to marriage for women. So Rose needed to look like someone who could conceivably be engaged rather than a child. Whereas today relationships at the same age are generally less serious.



Thanks that explained it All so maybe could say I'm not wrong for not placing them as a teen couple since it was intentional that they acted more mature but they people put them as a teen couple are right as well since the characters were young.


Anyway in the 90s all actors looked mature, really there were very few teen idols at that time, could you have believed Julia Roberts playing Katniss everdeen on her pretty woman days? No right and well when she started was the same age Jennifer Lawrence is right now.

I'm getting so out of my topic but I've wondered since a few years ago if the actors of the 90s were happy of growing up faster acting wise than the new generation?

Ralph Fiennes at 28 or 29 was playing one of the most complex characters in literature Heathcliff in Wuthering Heights meanwhile right now at 28 and 29 Theo James is Still playing a leading heartthrob in a YA novel the same for Pattinson when he did
breakingdawn.

Anyway in the 90s all actors looked mature, really there were very few teen idols at that time, could you have believed Julia Roberts playing Katniss everdeen on her pretty woman days? No right and well when she started was the same age Jennifer Lawrence is right now.


I think in the 90's teen idols tended to be teens. Jonathan Taylor Thomas was popular when he was 15-16ish. Devon Sawa was 17-18 during his stint as a teen idol. Edward Furlong was 16 at the peak of his popularity. Joey Lawrence was 15 when Blossom started. Mark Paul Gosselaar was 19 when Saved By the Bell ended it's 5 year run (making him 14 when it started). Leonardo DiCaprio actually had two stints as a teen hearthrob. The first was during his Growing Pains days when he was about 17. The second was post Romeo and Juliet and Titanic when he was 22-24. But he's always looked younger than is actual age, so he's an exception to that rule to an extent.

It's true for the girls too. Claire Danes was 14 when she did My So Called Life and at the ripe old age of 16 when she did Romeo and Juliet. Mayim Bialik was 15 when she started playing Blossom in 1991. Christina Ricci was 12 in The Addams Family and 13 in the sequel. She played mostly teen roles through her teens and then transitioned to adult roles at 17-18.

I think one of the reasons that twentysomethings are playing teen roles these days is financial. Under the age of 18 actors are considered minors. That means there's a limit to the number of hours they can work during the day due to child labor laws. An on set tutor must also have to be provided if they're missing any school. In order to avoid all that hassle a child actor needs either be legally emancipated from their parents or have special permission from the government wherever they're filming. It's a hassle that a lot of studios would rather not deal with. Especially when it's a lead role and a character who is in 80-90% of the film. Having that actor work limited hours could slow production quite significantly. If someone over 18 is hired it is a lot earlier and less costly.

Of course 18 year olds look older than 14-15 year olds. So if the perception of what 14 looks like is raised to 18 then 15 is raised to 19, 16 to 20 etc. That naturally affects the perception of adult actors as well. If 22 is the new 18, then having a 25 year old actor as their mother won't work! So roles for parents and teachers and adults generally are taken by actors in their mid to late 30's much more often.

I didn't think about it but you are right in the 90s the teen stars were actual teenagers and left the adult for all the actors who were 18 and more.

And apart from financial reasons I guess the teens were limited in the scenes they could do for example in the last of the Mohicans Michael Mann wanted to shoot a steamy love scene between The actors who played Uncas and Alice but Jodie May's mom didn't accept it since she thought her Daugher( the girl who played Alice) was too young for a love scene, the actors parents limited the directors too much.

So yes I can now thar i understand why now twenty something actors are playing teens.

And apart from financial reasons I guess the teens were limited in the scenes they could do for example in the last of the Mohicans Michael Mann wanted to shoot a steamy love scene between The actors who played Uncas and Alice but Jodie May's mom didn't accept it since she thought her Daugher( the girl who played Alice) was too young for a love scene, the actors parents limited the directors too much.

I didn't know that she was so young in that movie!

That's true. I think legally they need parental consent if there's going to be anything steamy/sexual for actors under 18. They can imply it (showing the characters kissing and then picking up the next morning) but if anything is shown it's up to the parents unless the actor is legally emancipated.

Some parents are OK with it. But even if the parents give the OK there can be controversy. In 1980 Brooke Shields (age 14) and Christopher Adkins (age 18) starred in The Blue Lagoon and had several nude scenes and sex scenes. After accusations of child pornography Shields had to testify in a US Congressional inquiry that older body doubles were used in some of those scenes. Not only does that bring some negative attention to a film, but it also means that they have to pay body doubles in addition to actors.

I didn't know that she was so young in that movie!

Well don't know her exact age I just know that the actress mom didn't let her do a love scene which made dome fans of Uncas and Alice a little angry, so I bet she was maybe 16 or 17. Anyway maybe I'm going but I think she looked so much like Clair Danes in it, actually when I saw it I could have swear she was Clair Danes.




Some parents are OK with it. But even if the parents give the OK there can be controversy. In 1980 Brooke Shields (age 14) and Christopher Adkins (age 18) starred in The Blue Lagoon and had several nude scenes and sex scenes. After accusations of child pornography Shields had to testify in a US Congressional inquiry that older body doubles were used in some of those scenes. Not only does that bring some negative attention to a film, but it also means that they have to pay body doubles in addition to actors.


Wow now you gave me an interesting story.
Didn't know there was such a huge controversy over that film and Brook did look very young in that film.

At the end everyone I guess prefers to now to put 20 something actors in teen parts since they avoid lots of trouble but other problems come at least for the actors which have to make a huge transition at their 30s and now it's harder for us to take them seriously in grown up parts.