DVD Review: True Adolescents

DVD Reviews, Reviews

There’s nothing new about coming of age stories, but when these tried and true tales are told through the lens that True Adolescents is told, they become fresh and exciting to watch. Writer and director Craig Johnson nails his rookie effort thanks to eclectic filming locations, an incredible cast, and an unpredictable story that takes more chances than most in the genre. Johnson has something to say about growing up, and the audience listens thanks to his ability to craft an engaging and humorous script.

Sam (Mark Duplass) is a 34-year-old musician with no job or money, and is, by most accounts, a total failure. When his girlfriend kicks him out, he is forced to go live with his Aunt Sharon (Melissa Leo) and her son, Oliver (Bret Loehr). Oliver’s estranged father cancels a camping trip with Oliver and his friend Jake (Carr Thompson) at the last minute, and Sharon asks Sam to take the boys instead. Sam reluctantly agrees, and the unlikely trio sets off to the Pacific Northwest, where all three will begin to realize what is means to “grow up”.

Mark Duplass leads a stellar cast that is made up of only four main actors. He is the most charismatic loser I’ve seen in a while, and is incredibly likable. He is working with a great script, of course, but that allows his natural talent to shine through. His chemistry with the two younger actors, and Academy Award winner Melissa Leo, is excellent. Even though his world seems to be crashing around him, Sam has a sense of “live for today” that is both naïve, heartwarming, and identifiable. Duplass simply shines.

His two younger counterparts – Bret Loehr and Carr Thompson – are just as fun to watch. They both look like veterans in their coming-of-age roles. Though Melissa Leo is on-screen much less than the other three, her presence shines, and she is stellar as the single mom. In a film that focuses on character, it’s essential to find actors that can take small moments and make them the most memorable, and that’s just what True Adolescents does. The acting is stellar.

What’s great about True Adolescents is that the viewer is never able to guess where the movie is going. There are moments where it could’ve turned into a horror film, a romantic comedy, or an action film. It’s this unpredictability, and the fact that the movie pulls no punches, that makes True Adolescents stand out over other pieces in this genre, and why it comes highly recommended.

The beautiful filming locations shine through on this DVD, and I’m not sure a Blu-ray release could enhance this widescreen presentation too much. The stellar soundtrack also shines on this DVD, with a 5.1 Dolby Digital surround option, and a 2.0 stereo option. There are no subtitle options.

There are quite a few special features on this DVD. There are 12 deleted scenes (16 mins) that can be played with or without the director’s commentary. These add in a whole new subplot to the movie, but the film works without it. There is also a behind the scenes featurette (18 mins). This feature is, unfortunately, in full screen, but is still a great look at the making of the film. There are also two audio commentary tracks. The first one features writer/director Craig Johnson, producer Thomas Woodrow, and editor Jennifer Lee, while the second has only actor Mark Duplass. Though both are worth listening to if you enjoy independent filmmaking, or True Adolescents, the commentary track that Duplass does alone suffers from the fact that he has no one to bounce jokes and anecdotes off of. Duplass is quite funny, but there is a lot of silence on his part through the film. The other track is pretty typical, and focuses on the business end, as well as the creative end, of the process.

This DVD is great. It has excellent audio/visual quality, a great main feature, and is packed with special features about the film. To think that this movie was actually Craig Johnson’s NYU thesis project is astonishing. I cannot wait to see where he goes from here.

New Video Group presents True Adolescents. Written and Directed by: Craig Johnson. Starring: Mark Duplass, Bret Loehr, Carr Thompson, and Melissa Leo. Running time: 89 minutes. Rating: Not Rated. Released on DVD: August 30, 2011. Available at Amazon.com.

Branden Chowen is, first and foremost, an actor. He is in his final year of graduate school, where he will (hopefully) soon receive an MFA in acting to compliment his BFA in the art. He spends his free time watching and reviewing movies for Inside Pulse Movies, and We Love Cult. He is also one of the co-hosts for The Drive-In, which is the official podcast of Inside Pulse Movies. He is an avid horror fan, and will spend time watching just about any horror movie that looks interesting. You can contact Branden by email at bchowen[AT]insidepulse[DOT]com, or follow him on Twitter @Psymin1.