Quartile rating: 7/10 · 1 rating
Natalie is high school royalty, but her queen bee status falls apart when she falls for the new guy at school. Although Keith ignores her at first, they soon become friends -- even though Natalie suspects that Keith has something to hide. As the free-spirited Keith shows Natalie how to embrace what life offers, they grow closer -- until a secret tests the bounds of their relationship
Keith (2008) is a modest but earnest teen romance-drama that follows a fairly well-trodden path: the free-spirited mysterious new boy who changes the uptight popular girl, with a terminal illness twist that many similar films have explored (A Walk to Remember, etc.). The plot hits familiar beats competently but without surprise. Acting from Jesse McCartney and Elisabeth Harnois is genuine and more nuanced than the material demands, elevating the emotional core somewhat. Cinematography is functional and unremarkable, typical of low-budget indie teen drama of the era. Novelty is low given the heavily familiar premise and execution — the cancer-secret-romance formula was well-worn by this point. The ending carries some emotional weight and restraint, avoiding the most manipulative excesses of the genre, which is a modest strength.