MovieChat Forums > Try Seventeen (2003) Discussion > Brilliant film!

Brilliant film!

posted 19 years ago by SBLOMS
8 replies | jump to latest

Well I've seen a lot of complaints about Try Seventeen, but I loved it. I found it refreshing and unique. The style with which it was filmed was very creative. The cast did a great job, especially Elijah Wood. I can't believe what I've read here about the supposedly bad job he did. I think he did wonderfully. I think he really portrayed the confusion and loneliness that can be felt when you're growing up at times. He brought a lot to his character and made it his own and I respect and admire that. Also, Franka Potente and Mandy Moore did very well. I loved this movie, it was touching, quirky and funny. But not the usual teeny-bopper movie. Sorry, you won't see the kids from the O.C. in this one. I think it was a great coming-of-age story in which the main character really found himself, and also found love along the way. The music in the film was also excellent. I think anyone who doesn't get this movie just doesn't understand what it is to be 17, or forgets. I watched it when I was 17 (last year) and I really could relate to the way Jones felt! Anyways, I think it was a great film.

[–] alexander_bright 19 years ago

i loved it as well. and as you said "refreshing and unique." i felt pretty good once the movie ended. like everyting would work out for Jones, ya know? i could also relate to this movie a lot, for i too will be seventeen in 41 days.

"oh, excuse me. there's a service here that delivers bagels and belly-dancers."

[–] CleverTitania 19 years ago

I gotta agree, I adored this. Just came across it on cable tonight, and I'm gonna use a word I never ever thought I would about a movie, delightful. I don't understand the people who think Jones' catharsis came from losing his virginity, that is so far off base. It was really understanding his mom and his relationship with her. I thought that was brilliantly clear. He thought he was just angry with her for withholding his father, but in reality he felt abandoned by them both, he felt like an orphan. By trying to protect him, and allowing her father to convince her she'd never be a good mom, she left him feeling very confused about who he was.

I love the way Jones looked at life, the way he had the fantasy beefed up in his mind because he was a writer, but that he never got bogged down in it and let the fantasy become more important than his reality. Hence why none of his fantasy women hovered for long. The cast were all terrific, and each character made a unique impact on his life.

At first it seemed Jones would never be able to see himself as anything more than a bit player in other lives, following somoene else's script for who and what he should be, much like when he rehearsed lines with Moore's character. But in the end he understood he didn't have to be anyone but himself. And the fact that he doesn't get Jane back until after that point is also great. It allows for a sweet hopeful ending (I still love those and I don't care who says their saccharin), but still gave him the space to find the answers he really needed.

I think this is one DVD I'm gonna hunt down.

The less a man makes declarative statements the less apt he is to look foolish in retrospect.

[–] pretty_pinky616 19 years ago

Yea well I first heard of this from Imdb and I became interested when I saw Elijah was in it!. So I looked at all the postings on this board and people were like bashing this movie really really bad LOL, and I went on this Elijah site and I asked them what they thought about it. They said it was great. So I just decided to buy it myself!.

I went everywhere to find it. Best Buy, Wal-Mart, Circuit City, etc!. None of them had it!. I almost didn't want it anymore because since it was less popular and none of the stores had it since the release date, I thought it was bad. So finally I asked my brother to buy it for me off Dvd Empire, and I got it.

The first time I watched it, I was like "wow, elijah doing movies like this". It was kinda shocking to me seeing him doing movies like that, but I loved it! lmao. I thought he was great as Jones, and he really showed the depth of the character, but there was some parts that could have been left out, but it was farely good, and people bash this movie like its Gigli or something lol j/p.

"When the world is mine, your death should be quick and painless."

[–] I_amindeed 17 years ago

I agree that he did a great job despite not that great script and direction

[–] 17 years ago

[deleted]

[–] waannief 17 years ago

Loved this film. Added it to my personal collection and I'm a forty-something mom of four. I think Elijah Wood is wonderful and Green Street Holligans is a current fav of mine as well.

"Never get in a head-on collision with your instructor in the car..." (Cliffy -Modern Girls)

[–] gypsisandra 16 years ago

i'm 19 in my second yr of community college lol and i have to say I LOVE THIS MOVIE! i've seen about 10-30 independant movies (i'm an indie addict lol j/k) this is on top of my list i wish i knew where it took place though, at firt i thought boson, mass, or new hamshire i wish they told us lol if you haven't seen this movie do yourself a favor and WATCH IT lol it changed my life i wish i lived in a apartment/house like he did and i will soon enough lol

[–] ms-zanadu 12 years ago

Totally agree with you SBLOMS and everyone else here too who really likes this movie . A definite film for the Elijah Wood and Blondie fan and the rest of the great well-known cast also . All the music in this movie was the best as well but sadly ( and to my knowledge ) it doesn't have a movie soundtrack for it . I so wish it did . Thanks SBLOMS for your subject post .