“The Spectacular Now” Lives Up to its Name

“The Spectacular Now,” directed by James Ponsoldt, is a refreshing coming-of-age story about two high school seniors – the carefree Sutter Keely (Miles Teller) and the shy Aimee Finicky (Shailene Woodley). Throughout the story, Sutter inspires Aimee to break out of her shell and live life a little more, while Aimee shows Sutter that you can’t always live for the “now” – sometimes you need a plan for the future because the unexpected can happen at any moment. Miles and Shailene give standout performances in this film, and both have vulnerable moments where nothing but raw emotion shines through. The lighting and cinematography are also noteworthy in this film. Cinematographer Jess Hall utilizes natural light (and darkness) that put the audience in the same room with the characters. The Spectacular Now approaches teenage life from a very honest perspective, complete with a surprising twist near the end, making it a standout from the average coming-of-age story.