Seriously? What an awful film

people changed they seems they love trash !!!!!!! i wasted my time even when i'm writing here ,what did people saw ? Crash (2004) or Babel (2006) ????? it as a drunk guy with average story ?

> I didnt think they were worth spending time with.

I felt the same way. Drunks are boring. Drinking is a cheap plotting device -- anything that alcohol makes the drinker do is supposedly plausible, but so what?

Sutter had a serious alcohol problem, yet his boss was the only adult to give attention to how it was crippling him. His math teacher seemed conscientious, but stopped short of exploring why Sutter was failing. Alcohol is like an elephant in the room. When a drinker has problems, his drinking can't be ignored as a major cause.

I didn't want to spend any time with Sutter. Like other students I found him tedious, a "joke."

Nor did I believe that Aimee, serious about her life, would suddenly start drinking. It wasn't in her character to get excited over the gift of a flask.

I think it would have a more satisfying movie if it lasted perhaps 30 seconds longer. When Sutter appears at Aimee's school, I'd have her say, "Sorry", and move on. Right now there's no purpose served by the ambiguous ending. Having her go past him would be more realistic. It would show that she's outgrown him and be the ultimate defeat to convince him to shape up.

I haven't seen the movie, and will likely skip it, but I enjoyed your review, your snark and your wit.

Definitely. I'm American and I know next to nothing about the 320 MILLION of us!

That is just American movies and television, though. Look at a show like The OC; every single character looks perfect, even the parents and grandparents. 'Nerdy' unpopular social rejects like Seth Cohen are ridiculously good looking.

Even in shows like 'Ugly Betty' when a character is meant to be unattractive and awkward they are played by a stunning girl. They think putting glasses and braces on her suddenly makes her a geeky outcast who viewers will identify with.

It is wrong that it is like that, but complaining that the supposedly plain characters are played by beautiful actors in US films is like complaining about the unrealistic lawlessness, gunslinging and murdering prowess of the hero in westerns. Just what you expect.

UK television is better at this kind of thing. Coronation Street for all its flaws is good at presenting realistic, normal characters who are believable at being socially awkward and unconfident. Roy Cropper on American TV would be played as a comedy character by a gorgeous actor. If Harry Potter had cast American actors Harry and Ron would have been hunky studs instead of regular looking people.

Reading most of your comments I don't think you understood much from this film, which is a shame because it is a wonderful one. I just want to comment on you saying they ''take an attractive girl and toss her into a movie where the audience is supposed to believe shes some sort of monster until that one guy comes along that can see past her rough exterior."
You misunderstood that I think. SHE thinks she's unattractive, just like most girls do, pretty or not. She doesn't realise boys like her even though they do. At that party, two guys were chatting her up and Sutter points that out to her. This film does not the cliche you make it to be.
And the sex scene is pretty realistic, specially in comparison to other films. Some girls hurt the first time, others don't. Not all bodies are the same.

Guess you've never been to high school(or in any teen social setting). There are a lot of really beautiful girls who get overlooked because they aren't part of the social hierarchy. That's the pettiness of youth though. Often times, money, bravado, and peer association can dictate how you are received by the majority.

I had a pal growing up, who was always our school's alpha dog. Trends and fashions, regardless of their absurd quality, would suddenly become hip simply because Brandon deemed them worthy. For some reason, everyone was drawn to his swagger, to the point of satire. Seemed like he would date girls bi-weekly, but I remember on several occasions where he would take on a project, for what seemed like sport. He'd pick some random girl(quiet, nerdy, unpopular)and ask her out. Next thing you know, she was practically the prom queen. In hindsight it appears ridiculous, yet at the time, that was business as usual.

My current girlfriend is, at 33 absolutely gorgeous. Yeah I'm partial given the circumstances, but that assessment is constantly being parroted by numerous observers. She'll be the first to tell you, that she was tremendously unpopular in high school, and rarely had a date. Thing is, if you look back at pictures from that time period, she hasn't changed a bit. In spite of that she was teased unmercifully by the "cool girls".

Alcoholism, eating disorders, and overall emotional instability can run rampant in the teen years. Part of it is hormones. But life inexperience plays a big role in the chaos also. Sometimes low self esteem and insecurity can lead to a sense of false confidence. Whereas in many instances, it results in angst and despair. This film illustrates many themes that I've both witnessed and experienced in my youth. Just become you can't relate to the characters, don't chastise them with blanket criticism.

Amy lost her father, whom I assume she loved and misses, to substance abuse. As a result, there is a void of male affection in her life. Now she is hopelessly enamored with a charismatic guy, who, GET THIS, also suffers from substance abuse. What is so confusing about that? Did you have a Disney-esque fairy tale moment, the second you laid eyes upon your current significant other? If so, then you are in the minority. A lot of people meet someone who may initially stimulate interest. Yet time and repeated interaction are both required to foster an amourous relationship. Then again, many people decide to date and/or marry someone out of convenience or simple need not to be alone. That's life.

I know my points are a bit erratic, but I hadn't planned to write this much, and want to cover a majority of topics in relation to this movie and views toward it. To sum it up, I liked this movie so much, that I'll probably pay a late fee tonight, in order to re-watch it. Not the best thing I've ever seen. But, thought provoking, nonetheless.
"The key is, you've got to be crazy to maintain your sanity"

This wasn't exactly a prime example of this problem, which I agree is lame. You're generalizing this film way too hard just like your OP.

She wasn't supposed to be great-looking but they never implied that she was ugly. Look at that party by the lake, within a few minutes several different guys showed an interest in her.

It was more about her geek-status than being unattractive.

But I guess the real challenging thing would have been to find someone more average than that. Someone fatter or something.

You say the film does not give the impression that anybody thinks she's pretty and you mention the lake scene.....in that very scene, there is another guy hitting on her.

So, you're point is simply not true. Her style was pretty plain and the character was pretty much a loner so she was socially awkward and not very popular. More like a wallflower...but definitely not unattractive.

Of course Shailene Woodley looks really good and I see your point. Casting beautiful actresses in roles of not-very-pretty girls is typically Hollywood and tends to get on my nerves too, but in this film it doesn't really apply IMO.

You missed the point. Boys did like her, the very same scene you are talking about at the lake two boys are chatting to her. She just can't see it and has very low self-esteem and confidence.

She is an awkward geek. We had those same types of girls at the school i went to and i wasn't attracted to them at the time because they wasn't 'cool' looking back they were very pretty.