American Teen

What’s the Story?

Filmmaker Nanette Burstein, who won the documentary director award for AMERICAN TEEN at the 2008 Sundance Film Festival, has made what some critics and most marketing posters have dubbed the "real" Breakfast Club. The comparisons are obvious, since the film follows five seniors from Warsaw, Ind. (population: 13,000), who fall into the same categories as in the Brat Pack classic: there's a princess (Megan), a jock (Colin), a rebel/misfit (Hannah), a geek (Jake), and a heartthrob (Mitch). Like all teens, each has to navigate the tumultuous ride that is the year before college, and Burstein chronicles their lives with humor and depth.

Is It Any Good?

It's impossible to know how much influence the camera had on how the Warsaw teens acted, but the situations ring true, sometimes heartbreakingly so. Although Burstein gives each of her chosen few ample screen time, independent spirit Hannah Bailey is clearly favored. The daughter of a manic depressive, Hannah isn't popular, but she's far from a geek. She plays in a band, aspires to be a director, wears retro chic clothes and just glows, even when she sobs, on the screen. Watching as she endures two break ups (one via text message!) in the course of a year, it's no surprise why her story is the most interesting and well-rounded. Expect to see her again after the film's release.

All of the other students also have fascinating stories to tell. Colin's father, an Elvis impersonator, can't afford college tuition, so if Colin can't secure a basketball scholarship, the Army is his only option. Varsity hottie Mitch loves hanging out with Hannah, but he can't seem to deal with her when he's around his snooty popular friends. Megan, the richest girl in town, is a stereotypical "Mean Girl," but the queen bee also has overwhelming pressure to succeed and a sad family history to overcome. Jake is so introverted that his only two concerns are playing video games and finding a kindred spirit to date. With only 101 minutes to depict a year's worth of tales, Burstein tends to dwell on the tragedies and triumphs -- from personal betrayals to college acceptances -- but that's completely understandable and makes for an entertaining and bittersweet account of life for contemporary teens.