Not Another ‘Teen’ Documentary

At first glance, I roll my eyes. I’ve heard of this flick…the high school doc posing as a real-life, modern day Breakfast Club. Everybody knows that in reality, high school stereotypes aren’t as simple as the handsome Letterman jacket athlete or the “pretty in pink” princess. In promotion of American Teen‘s upcoming release, they even put out a movie poster that’s an exact replica of the poster used for the 1985 John Hughes hit. The pic, written and directed by Nanette Burstein, generated such a buzz at Sundance, it was swooped up by Paramount Vantage and is set for wide-release in July. So what’s all the buzz about?

As I watch the trailer, I’m introduced to the stereotypes one by one, hand-picked from Warsaw Community High School in Warsaw, Indiana. First we have the jock, the most well-known high school stereotype- he’s attractive, cocky, popular and if you don’t admire him you probably hate him. But what’s this? Not quite a carbon copy of a young Emilio Estevez. Our “jock” seems reserved, insecure and even likable. And then there’s the acne-ridden loner seeking love; an unlikely star of a feature film. He’s no Anthony Michael Hall, but he’s sincere and has a sense of humor. And of course there’s the stereotype I’m most partial to- the rebel. She’s liberal, quirky and artsy. But our defiantly different, Ally Sheedy replicant ends up dating the Varsity basketball heartthrob. Throw in a buxom blonde seeking revenge, and you’ve got your high school bases pretty well covered. Don’t let the stereotypes fool you, these high schoolers are surprising, confusing and uncategorizable. American Teen just might be more like high school than I imagined.