Netflix Summary:
When Nadine’s best (and only) friend starts dating her detested older brother, the teenage cynic’s life becomes even more unbearable.
FYA Summary:
Nadine’s brother Darian has always been a confident, popular, handsome winner. And if Darian is a winner, that makes Nadine, well, a loser. So when she catches her one and only friend hooking up with him, it feels like Nadine’s life starts to fall apart. She forgets to turn in her homework, accidentally sends a text to her crush that she never meant to send, and generally feels like she’s losing her grip on life. Enter Erwin Kim, the awkward-but-kinda-cute guy who sits next to her in history class whose unexpected friendship makes Nadine feel a little less alone in this big mean world.
Familiar Faces:
Hailee Steinfeld as Nadine
Tbh, I found Hailee a little obnoxious in the Pitch Perfect movies, and she’s one of those celebrities I see more on red carpets and Taylor Swift Instagram pics than actual movies, so I didn’t exactly have high hopes for this movie going into it. But guys, I thought she was great in this. She plays Nadine as one of those high school losers who we, in all of our adult wisdom, can look at and think, “I know why Nadine is a loser in high school, but I also know that if I could go back knowing what I know now, I would totally want to be friends with her.”
Haley Lu Richardson as Krista
I haven’t seen Haley Lu in a ton of stuff, but she’s very good as Krista, who Nadine’s pretty but kind of vanilla best friend. She’s less cynical than Nadine but still with it enough that you understand both why they’re friends and also why the popular guy would want to date her.
Woody Harrelson as Mr. Bruner
Nadine’s teacher Mr. Bruner is the only person who can match her own cynicism and self-loathing, and Harrelson plays it with aplomb.
Kyra Sedgwick as Mona
Kyra plays Nadine’s half absent, hot mess mother who, let’s face it, is just trying to drink wine and get laid. I can’t blame the woman!
Hayden Szeto as Erwin Kim
I don’t actually know that Hayden counts as a familiar face, but do you ever watch a movie and see a character that you like so much from the first moment they speak that you’re instantly a fan? That’s how I felt about Hayden as Erwin. He is So. Incredibly. Awkward. But in the most hilariously endearing way? I love him. I want to hug him.
Couch-Sharing Capability: High
The Edge of Seventeen is a teen movie at its core, but it has a bit more grit and gravitas to it than most. The jokes are dirty, the dialogue is whip-smart, and it rarely veers into cheesy territory. It’s got something for everyone!
Recommended Level of Inebriation: Low
The moment you see Nadine and Krista pouring vodka and orange soda into Solo cups then immediately puking into a toilet, you’ll take a sip of your craft beer or crisp sav blanc and be grateful you’re an adult who knows how to have a good time without gulping something that’s going to come back up the same neon orange color later on.
Use of Your Streaming Subscription: Mandatory
Guys, we are a site about teen pop culture and this is not only right in our wheelhouse, it’s quality shit. The good stuff. It’s got jokes and swoon and sibling rivalries and good friends and that dude you had a crush on in high school who you now understand was totally garbage. You’ll relate so hard.
