The Spectacular Now

I was just reading about this movie, Whizzer!

Despite your pretty harsh review – and perhaps even a little encouraged by it – I’m very, very interested in seeing this and hope it opens near me soon.

So, obviously, I can’t yet speak to your questions, but I will say I disagree with this part of your post – “In order for a movie like this to work the audience has to actually want to see the fallen character redeem himself.”

For myself, that’s categorically untrue. Chalk it up to personal preference!

Thanks, as always, for the review

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I don't know why, but Miles Teller bothers me.

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Teller really puts me off, as well. His lazy, emotionless performance in RABBIT HOLE almost ruined the film for me.

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Updated On: 8/8/13 at 11:47 AM

For americanboy

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I really thought they should have killed Shailene when she got hit by that truck. It was the one moment that took me by surprise in the whole movie, but then they wasted it by only putting her in a cast? Her reaction to getting hit was aggravating too, even though I know it was keeping in character. It's too bad she didn't grow a little bit after that.


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I saw it this evening and absolutely loved it. The 100 minute running time absolutely flew by and I was knocked out by Teller and Woodley. I really thought it was exceptional.

I liked it more than Whizzer but I thought in terms of adaptation that the writing and dialogue could occasionally be clunky and did not know when to let the actors carry scenes than let it be crafted all out on a page. That dinner scene. Are you kidding me? Does such a conversation among more than two people really exist? The performers all did the best they could even if I found nobody's 'playing drunk' to be remotely believable. But Shailene Woodley is again proving she can often be the best in her movie despite some shoddy material to work with. I felt bad for Mary Elizabeth Winnstead, specifically her wardrobe that manages to never change during the whole movie.

I really hope Gia Coppola's Palo Alto gets distribution soon, though realistically it will in 2014. It manages to make me understand its characters without underlining specific flaws or problems in judgment despite some characters having reprehensible moments. It runs circles around this.

**SPOILERS**

Major agreement with Whizzer on the visit to the bedroom after the accident. I feel like a scene was cut or that Aimee's character just felt guilty because she was drunk/buzzed herself. But I was not surprised. I knew that scene was trouble even if it just ended on her being left there- even if I would say that, it still means a very questionable reconciliation being involved. Anyway, the moment we get the father involved I saw the wheels turning in terms of story and plot and still did not think it felt natural or true to life. There was nothing at that point to indicate Sutter had 'daddy issues'. He could've just been upset and not have seen a mirror reflection. It is a shame, I was kind of enjoying the movie up until that moment. I didn't think Sutter was 'bad' but then the writing felt the need to underline he was not just bad but he **knew** he was bad and suddenly knew why without me or the character getting that kind of indication early on.

Updated On: 10/1/13 at 07:45 PM

This movie, from the awful title to the bad trailer, screams PRETENTIOUS BORE. I didn't have any desire to see this in the first place, and after reading these reviews, I still don't.