Cinemacy got an exclusive look at The Spectacular Now during the film’s cast & crew screening this past Tuesday. Hosted by A24 and Flux, the Vista Theater in Los Feliz was transformed into a red carpet affair. Hollywood stars and the “Who’s Who” of industry hipsters packed the vintage theater for an intimate look at the film. Addressing the audience, director James Ponsoldt thanked the crowd for coming and supporting the “little film that could.” He went on to say that The Spectacular Now is not your average coming of age film; in fact, he quoted Pretty in Pink and The Breakfast Club as inspiration for the project.
The film comes from the same writers as (500) Days of Summer and immediately picks up on that indie rom-com formula that has garnered previous success. Shailene Woodley (The Descendants) plays Aimee Finicky, the Animé loving, naive high school student with dreams of attending college out-of-state and starting over. When she finds her classmate Sutter Keely, played by Miles Teller (Project X), drunk on her lawn one morning, the two spark up a friendship. That friendship quickly turns into a relationship and it is the chemistry between these characters and their own coming of age lessons that the film so skillfully captures.
In keeping with Ponsoldt’s vision of the film, being “not-your-average teen movie,” Woodley plays Aimee in a completely natural way. Minimal to no makeup on the lead actress is something most studios typically wouldn’t embrace. The fact that we can see imperfections, the pimples, and the sweat, was a personal touch that is very often overlooked in films, especially those set in high school where the “high schoolers” are in their 30’s and look abnormally polished and put together.
I appreciated the realism of the character’s appearance, but I did notice that a lot of the scenes were driven by alcohol- whiskey in a flask, to be specific. Most of the film’s dramatic scenes were because alcohol was involved; the first time Aimee and Sutter meet, their first kiss, prom night, and even when Aimee gets hit by a car were all circumstances which may not have happened without the liquid courage. The undercurrent of this constant drunken state can make it a bit hard to sympathize with these characters if they’re acting out of inebriation as opposed to raw emotion.
The Spectacular Now is a heartwarming film, the visuals of shooting in Georgia translated well, as did the soundtrack with music by Kurt Vile and Ariel Pink. What sets this movie apart from other indie romances is the intention behind the scenes, which could be felt on-screen. This wasn’t the typical “Hollywood” film with character stereotypes or even a storybook ending. Ponsoldt’s vision of keeping the film organic is evident throughout the entire story- from casting choices to wardrobe and makeup, The Spectacular Now may very easily join the ranks of those classic John Hughes “coming of age” tales.
