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James Ponsoldt
January 18, 2014
Based on the Jim Tharp Novel “500 Days of Summer,” “The Spectacular Now” captures every ideal a teenage boy could ever want. A fast-talking, hard-drinking, high school party animal who isn’t afraid to live in the now. Well maybe not every teenager, but it’s always fun to fantasize about being the lost boy in such a carefree world. Emphasis on the carefree part, because ironically, living in the now as a teenager can get messy and stressful fast. Fortunately, this film shows us what we never knew we could do with that pain.
One morning after some late-night drinking as a result of a harsh breakup, Sutter Keely (Miles Teller) is woken up by Aimee Finicky (Shailene Woodley). They have a quick chat and become aquainted with each other after finding out that they go to the same school. After, Sutter decides to assist Aimee on her paper route, or her mother’s as she would later clarify. Birds singing, sun shining through the leaves, it’s one of those romantic teen moments where there doesn’t have to be a reason. They’re young, awake, and running high on summer-loving fumes.
Aimee isn’t like Sutter. She’s smart, driven, and makes plans to escape from the shabby two-bedroom house that she was raised in by her single mother. Sutter on the other hand is just fine with living his life on the edge. Living hand over fist is what “living in the now” is all about. He doesn’t want to think about tomorrow because otherwise, he won’t enjoy today. Ergo he sees no reason to care about school, his future, or anything that interrupts his current state of mind. Having been hungover from the night before, being awoken by an attractive, open, humble girl is the perfect antidote, so he asks her to lunch. Up until this moment Aimee never really had much experience with boys. But as her senior year is winding down she is eager for a boyfriend (or love, we may never know). All Sutter wants is some comfort in a time of aching, it’s not a match made in heaven.
Remember those chocolate bunnies you used to receive when you were a kid. A perfectly decorated bunny that looked like it was carved by ancient Greeks, but to your dismay was hollow on the inside? Sutter fits this delicious treat to a T. He is the perfect trap for a boyfriend-hungry girl, and he doesn’t even know it. Sutter uses Aimee and as soon as she’s out of sight, forgets about her, but not before it’s too late. Having no prior experience, Aimee is blind to the fact that Sutter is incapable of treating her right (not to mention he is still hung up on his ex who promptly realized he has no future) and is instantly taken advantage of.
“The Spectacular Now” isn’t the typical classic girly romance flick that is a copy of the last one. Instead, this film actually understands the in’s and out’s of a high school relationship. It recognizes that not every relationship is meant to be no matter how much you give. That if you’re missing one piece of the puzzle, why bother trying to finish. Caring about someone when you’re young is serious business, and this film is able to explore that to the fullest.
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