Edge of Seventeen

Rating:
Summary: Excellent
Review: Worth it just for the pure magic of Cilla Black's 'Your're My World'

Rating:
Summary: Great CD- definitely worth owning
Review: This CD offers a great mix of fun, memorable and good 80's tracks. although its not an AMAZING collection - its nevertheless very good - and if not for any other reason - is worth buying just for Toni Basil's "Mickey" - now thats a song...

Rating:
Summary: Charming and Incredibly Accurate Small Town Coming Out Story
Review: I couldn't believe what I was watching. Being from a small town not far from Sandusky, OH, where "Edge of Seventeen" is set, seeing this film was almost like reliving my teenage years, just before coming out. Even the way Eric finally admits to his best friend that he's gay was the same. "I like guys". It was hard back then for me to say the word "gay". Whenever I would reveal this to a new friend or coworker, I always said, "I like guys". It seemed to go over better. Set in the 80's, a time when new wave music and fashion blurred the line between male and female even more than the hair bands of a few years later, "Edge of Seventeen" is a charming, funny and, sometimes, heartbreaking story of a young man discovering his sexuality. His surrounding cast of characters reminded me of almost everyone I knew back then. I read a review where someone accused this movie of furthering the "gay stereotype". I disagree. If you're from a small town, and you came out in small town, "Edge of Seventeen" will take you back. It will remind you of the struggles you faced in admitting you were gay, first to yourself and then to others. It will remind you of the excitement and horror you simultaneously felt the first time you were in gay bar. It will remind you of all those stories you told your parents just so you could stay out all night. Chris Stafford is nothing less than amazing as Eric. He truly conveys the innocence, frustration, pain and, eventually, relief that many teenagers go through when coming to terms with their sexuality. It's almost as though he's drawing on his own experiences. Lea DeLarla nearly steals the film as the owner of possibly the sole gay club in Sandusky. A club populated by characters we can all remember from our first gay bar. In short, "Edge of Seventeen" is a scrapbook for anyone who came out in a small town and in the 80's. And the soundtrack is pretty good, too.

Rating:
Summary: Edge of Perfection
Review: Being a youth and gay, in a closed minded community, I have eagerly searched for perfection in a movie that allows me to outlet sadness as well as laughter, and Edge of Seventeen does that. Andersen Gabrych is unbeleiveably gorgeous and plays his part well. There's not too much else to say without giving the whole thing away. Acting is suberb, and the script is almost flawless. This is one of the first films in gay cinema I've seen, and definately my favorite.

Worth time and money.

Rating:
Summary: Gosh, I hate to say anything critical of this film.
Review: It's just a tad bit boring. Perhaps it plays better with a younger crowd (than me) but I can only imagine that it was made for my age group, who actually grew up in the time period that the movie takes place.

The main character's downward spiral/transformation into Boy George is trite and tired. I was so not impressed with all the costume, set, and prop nods to the '80s. Okay, so maybe I'm just not a "period" guy.

But the story goes on from one lurching and achingly painful misstep to another. Could he have possibly made any more mistakes? This is a white, middle-class, well-supported, talented guy with a loving family. He even has a boss (Lea DeLaria) who spoon-feeds him gaydom. Yet he STILL can't even tell his doting best friend that he's gay, and keeps telling her that he's not? And he STILL can't tell his mother and in fact tells her that he is not? It didn't play well with me.

I wasn't thrilled about the end either which felt one part unreconciled and another part easy happy ending.

I understand that this film may be definitively cathartic for a lot of people, but it wasn't for me cathartic as much as frustrating.

Lea DeLaria showed herself to be funny (which I knew) and also very warm and talented. I have a new appreciation for her and she shines in this vehicle.

I liked it okay, but don't highly recommend it except for the younger crowd.

Rating:
Summary: At Seventeen
Review: Movie: ***** DVD Quality: ***** DVD Extras: ***

Dramas about _Teenage Gays Coming Out Of The Closet!_ are so plentiful, they sometimes run together in my mind. "Edge of Seventeen" is an exception to that statement because it genuinely is an exceptional movie in every way. The screenplay by Todd Stephens is sensitive and true to life, or rather, many people's lives. It tells the story of Eric (Chris Stafford), a young man growing up in the small town of Sandusky, Ohio, who is just beginning to grapple with his sexual orientation. What is so refreshing about the script is that Eric is portrayed as neither a victim nor a hero; he's simply a kid on the cusp of adulthood who is trying to find himself. Eric is sometimes selfish and thoughtless; other times sweet and naive; occasionally manipulative; but generally a good guy ... in other words: completely human. That holds true of the other characters in the movie, including Eric's parents who love him dearly but aren't quite sure what to make of his fast-changing moods and appearance; his female best friend (Tina Holmes) who harbors deeper feelings for him; and his new gay "family" (headed by Lea DeLaria) who are fiercely supportive, yet sometimes insensitive to where he is at in terms of his coming out process. Thankfully, Stephens' screenplay remains true to itself right down to the final fadeout and doesn't cop out by trying to wrap everything up into a neat little package; at the end of the movie, there's a definite sense that these characters will continue to live, learn, make mistakes, and thrive. (Sequel, anyone?)

The entire cast is uniformly outstanding. Chris Stafford embodies Eric in all his complexity; his performance never strikes a false note. Tina Holmes is amazing as his confused female friend; more than once her face and vocal inflections reminded me of an extremely young Meryl Streep (a high compliment indeed). Stephanie McVay distinguishes herself as Eric's baffled mother, and Andersen Gabrych is fine as Eric's first same sex crush whose confident veneer covers a troubled heart. Perhaps best of all is comic Lea DeLaria, who turns in a warm and winning dramatic performance as the Earth Mother whose wisdom and understanding are always available to Eric, regardless of how hard he sometimes pushes her away.

The Strand DVD offers a flawless letterboxed transfer featuring outstanding audio and video. The somewhat sparse extras are limited to the Theatrical Trailers for "Edge of Seventeen" and five other feature films designed to appeal to LGBT audiences. It would be wonderful to have the additional benefit of cast and crew biographies and filmographies as a reasearch tool for the viewers who want to explore others works by the filmmakers, but this is a small complaint. Overall, this is truly a must-see film, one that is worthy of repeat viewings.

Rating:
Summary: A touching coming of age story,
Review: This is a great movie about a teenage boy coming to terms with his sexuality. It is by turns moving and heart-rending as the boy makes his way through adolescence, a difficult time for any teen. This often-painful period in a boy's life is further complicated by his conflicted sexuality. This will bring back strong memories, good and bad, for any gay man who has lived this story. Chris Stafford shines in the lead role, aided by sensitive performance by the entire cast. Great use of costumes and make-up as the boy changes over time. Don't miss this one!

Rating:
Summary: A Gay Classic
Review: This is one of the best gay films that I have seen. It is touching without being sappy, and realistic without going overboard. In many ways, the story parallels my own life growing up gay in the midwest during the eighties. The main character is so sweet and innocent. It just makes you want to root for him, and you can't help but feel his angst as he struggles to discover and accept himself. Beautifully done, and extremely well acted. Bravo!!

Rating:
Summary: Sweet true to life coming of age, coming out story
Review: I lived this and felt like my diary was being read outloud to everyone I knew and didn't know. My God what an excellent way to show the true pain of confussion, love, lust and terror all rolled into one young gay man. Wow, I could not believe how this movie made me feel from start to finish. I hope that young gay boys and even girls find strength in this film. A+++

Rating:
Summary: Charming and Incredibly Accurate Small Town Coming Out Story
Review: I couldn't believe what I was watching. Being from a small town not far from Sandusky, OH, where "Edge of Seventeen" is set, seeing this film was almost like reliving my teenage years, just before coming out. Even the way Eric finally admits to his best friend that he's gay was the same. "I like guys". It was hard back then for me to say the word "gay". Whenever I would reveal this to a new friend or coworker, I always said, "I like guys". It seemed to go over better. Set in the 80's, a time when new wave music and fashion blurred the line between male and female even more than the hair bands of a few years later, "Edge of Seventeen" is a charming, funny and, sometimes, heartbreaking story of a young man discovering his sexuality. His surrounding cast of characters reminded me of almost everyone I knew back then. I read a review where someone accused this movie of furthering the "gay stereotype". I disagree. If you're from a small town, and you came out in small town, "Edge of Seventeen" will take you back. It will remind you of the struggles you faced in admitting you were gay, first to yourself and then to others. It will remind you of the excitement and horror you simultaneously felt the first time you were in gay bar. It will remind you of all those stories you told your parents just so you could stay out all night. Chris Stafford is nothing less than amazing as Eric. He truly conveys the innocence, frustration, pain and, eventually, relief that many teenagers go through when coming to terms with their sexuality. It's almost as though he's drawing on his own experiences. Lea DeLarla nearly steals the film as the owner of possibly the sole gay club in Sandusky. A club populated by characters we can all remember from our first gay bar. In short, "Edge of Seventeen" is a scrapbook for anyone who came out in a small town and in the 80's. And the soundtrack is pretty good, too.