The dialogue in this movie was excellent, and the story was told exceptionally well. The director/writer is at the top of his game, to be sure. But I cannot agree with the conclusion of the story, and think that this movie is a poor example of one that will positively influence it's youthful audience.
What level of respect can either of the two girls in the movie have for this boy, both of whom developed relationships with him that were duplicitous and fictitious? Yet he jumps into each relationship with both feet and no reservations. He has no sense of betrayal, no sense of having been wronged by these two girls, even after they have the gall to implicitly expect him not to be upset by their behaviour.
This leads to the story running onto the rocks of unbelievability, which is a big disappointment at the close of the film. Had there been some acknowledgment of the way that their respective relationships had developed badly, had the girls acknowledged their poor behaviour and somehow learned from it, only then would they be worthy of his unremitting attention and friendship. Had he shown that he understood the nature of the development of his relationships with the two girls, but forgave them, that also would have indicated character growth. His character is diminished by being a loyal puppy dog, blind to the nature of the relationships he is in and at the mercy of his adoration. The girls' characters are diminished by their inability to recognize how they have mistreated him, and seek to better themselves.
One could argue, perhaps, that the moral of the story is that love is worth pursuing no matter the obstacles that are placed in the way, and that the main character did not let anything prevent his quest from reaching fruition. However, the longevity of a relationship based on deception and that has not developed trust cannot survive without an airing out of the deceit and the rebuilding of trust. There is no closure to this issue within this film.
Thus, despite the dialogue, the acting, the story telling, and everything else that makes this an intriguing and entertaining film to watch, an inspiring "coming of age" movie should have characters that learn lessons about life and come out the other side stronger and more mature. In this vein, the film fails to deliver.
What level of respect can either of the two girls in the movie have for this boy, both of whom developed relationships with him that were duplicitous and fictitious? Yet he jumps into each relationship with both feet and no reservations. He has no sense of betrayal, no sense of having been wronged by these two girls, even after they have the gall to implicitly expect him not to be upset by their behaviour.
This leads to the story running onto the rocks of unbelievability, which is a big disappointment at the close of the film. Had there been some acknowledgment of the way that their respective relationships had developed badly, had the girls acknowledged their poor behaviour and somehow learned from it, only then would they be worthy of his unremitting attention and friendship. Had he shown that he understood the nature of the development of his relationships with the two girls, but forgave them, that also would have indicated character growth. His character is diminished by being a loyal puppy dog, blind to the nature of the relationships he is in and at the mercy of his adoration. The girls' characters are diminished by their inability to recognize how they have mistreated him, and seek to better themselves.
One could argue, perhaps, that the moral of the story is that love is worth pursuing no matter the obstacles that are placed in the way, and that the main character did not let anything prevent his quest from reaching fruition. However, the longevity of a relationship based on deception and that has not developed trust cannot survive without an airing out of the deceit and the rebuilding of trust. There is no closure to this issue within this film.
Thus, despite the dialogue, the acting, the story telling, and everything else that makes this an intriguing and entertaining film to watch, an inspiring "coming of age" movie should have characters that learn lessons about life and come out the other side stronger and more mature. In this vein, the film fails to deliver.