The Spectacular Now (2013)

A hard-partying high school senior’s philosophy on life changes when he meets the not-so-typical “nice girl.” (IMDb)

Buttery cinematography, crisp editing, and intoxicatingly good turns from Woodley, Teller, and Chandler here present an incredibly realistic, nuanced, and heart-wrenching tale of young love and life. The characters are truly human: complex and dynamic, their language (spoken and unspoken) stuttering, imperfect. The story similarly aches with the subtleties and drama of authentic teen life, building to a fittingly unresolved ending. Sad and endearing, sweet and torturous, this film is a must-see.

9/10 (Amazing)