Teen Spirit
TEEN SPIRIT - Lionsgate
Max Minghella's directorial debut Teen Spirit is a positive, albeit slightly skewed, first effort from the promising actor-turned-director. The conventional, quintessential rags-to-riches narrative is the first element up for forgiveness, with the basis of the film's story the most limited yet stable attribute.
Max Minghella not only directs this feature, but he also is credited to screenwriting — with the former his far greater strength compared to the latter. The screenwriting throughout is rudimentary, dull and often flat with no real insight or instigation to explore depth or weight the film holds. With such a flat script, the film feels lifeless, hollow and quite straightforward without much in terms of engagement. The dialogue for the teenagers in particularly is rough around the edges, but the depth associated with lead character Violet (Elle Fanning) is drastically cut short in regards to her personal life and identity.
The visual side is the equivalency of being tortured with Skittles thrown into your eyes at a constant rapid rate. Granted, it is loud and proud with colourful vibrancy, but it is far too flashy and overdone for the intended landing the film needs or could possibly provide in excellent execution. Said moments are exercised as emotionally euphoric sequences in the characters life. Thrills ranging from anxiety to joy to sadness, but they all ultimately blur with the same conviction. Minghella also struggles to dictate what to do with the camera, believing more adds depth and optical swagger. Unfortunately this evokes more of a sense of loss and desperation to heighten the film because the thematic weight is nowhere to be found. Ranging from shots lingering far too long or cut away far too early with a noticeable lack of restraint.
Fanning has a strong background for her to develop a character, but the depth on offer doesn't in any way further the arc regarding the trajectory of her role. It is all just empty background noise that is prime for development but is left to fizzle out with no avail. Zlatko Buric is undeniably the best thing on offer here as manager Vlad. A charismatic and engaging character that has an arc with weight and resolution, Buric not only provides a deep sense of comedic relief but warmth and heart the film desperately fails to deliver in any other parameter.
Teen Spirit is released September 16, 2019.
