American Teen - Movie Review

"A modern day Breakfast Club?" No it's not. Breakfast Club was just one day in the life of teenagers sitting in detention. Teenagers that were actors reading a script. No, this is not that at all.

American Teen caught my eye when I was at my library. Something possessed me to check it out. Could it be my fascination with behavioral science? That would be a firm yes.

I would recommend that all parents
watch American Teen. Even better watch it with your teenager. There will be plenty to discuss. I think it would give parents not only a refresher course but an eye opener. I don't think that the clicks have changed much. My mother told stories of her high school days and the same clicks were pretty much there in the 50's. What has changed? It's the technology! Break ups can occur through a text message. Real nice Mitch. You will now always be remembered in film as "that guy." Let us not forget Erica who sent a photo of herself to one guy. He could have let it end there but no, no he didn't. You have to watch the movie to see how far it went.

There were a few key things that jumped out at me. Colin and the pressure of a sports scholarship. When he broke down in the locker room I just really felt for him. Hannah and her need to move to San Fransisco. Her mother told her "You're not that special, Hannah!" Ugh. To see her face after that was just painful. Megan, I can't imagine the pressure it takes to get into Notre Dame, especially when your whole family has gotten in. Other than that she really did behave poorly. You have to watch to find out. Then there is Jake, oh geez, this was so painful to watch. How can you not feel for this kid? Nearly every seen was painful because he was just so socially awkward.

I think that it would be great to see something like this for kids in junior high where it begins. I remember always telling my daughter "hang in there because high school isn't real." It's like living in the land of make believe. It's really not like that out in the "real" world. I'm so happy that they put what happened to each of them at the end of the movie. Hey Jake! I promise that viewers are pulling for you, at least I hope they will be.