Quartile rating: 7.5/10 · 1 rating
Two high school girls are best friends until one dates the other's older brother, who is totally his sister's nemesis.
The Edge of Seventeen is elevated primarily by Hailee Steinfeld's genuinely exceptional, raw performance as Nadine — one of the most authentic teenage protagonists in recent memory. The plot follows familiar coming-of-age territory (social alienation, sibling rivalry, first love) but Kelly Fremon Craig's sharp, witty script gives it real texture and emotional honesty. Cinematography is competent but unremarkable. Novelty is moderate — while the film perfects a certain type of teen drama with unusual emotional intelligence, it doesn't break radical new ground in the genre. The ending resolves satisfyingly without being saccharine, landing the emotional beats without over-explaining them.