For some reason, I never got around to watching American Teen this Summer.
It's a documentary that was filmed at and around Warsaw, IN in 2005-06 and followed 5 Seniors and their experiences. We have several students who attend Warsaw, and several who were potentially going to be a part of this film. In the end, they show up on screen every once in a while, but none of them have speaking roles.
I think if you fit in any one of the following categories you should watch this movie:
As a film, it's honestly not all that great.
I think it's because I could see how poorly they put the chronology together, yet tried to make it look like a smooth running year.
There are elements in the movie that move to fiction. For example, Colin is depicted as hitting the game winning last second shot for the Sectional finals when Warsaw actually won that game by 8 points. Recognizing some of these elements kind of bothered me, but didn't completely turn me off. These were still real kids living out their real senior year on film.
I think it's also because the sights (noa noa restaurant, Benigans, the High School, NorthWood's gym, etc.) and people (Colin came to our Hayride Outreach) are so familiar I felt like there was too much story missing.
So why would I recommend it?
Although I wasn't an enormous fan of the "format" of the movie, the focus of the movie is so valuable. Here's why I think you should sit down with a pen and paper and watch this movie.
One is the hilariously uncomfortable "long kiss goodnight" scene with Jake (the geek) where he and his date are standing at the door, knowing they want to kiss but both struggling with the boldness to lean in and do it. This is worth watching solely for the amusement of putting yourself personally in that time frame. It's eerily humourous, yet a valuable reminder of the relational pressures and emotions that are present in those years.
The second involves Megan (the princess) and her best "guy friend" as they are in her basement watching pornography and drinking. The conversation and actions are heartbreaking, but all to common when it comes to the "non-commital" nature taken toward sexuality.
Rob Henschen commented on my Facebook about this movie...
good film...but it makes me a little sad if that kind of behavior is common place...I guess I'm a little too old and out of touch....
There are probably some extremes depicted in this movie... yet as I said when I responded to Rob, it's probably more common place than we realize. It's easy to, as Rob said, "become too old and out of touch."
90 minutes out of your life to watch this movie could help bridge that gap a little.
Trailers for the movie:
I think if you fit in any one of the following categories you should watch this movie:
- Youth worker (volunteer or paid)
- Parent of preteen or teen
- From Michiana
- School Teacher or any kind of educator
- Grandparent of a preteen or teen
- Have a teen or preteen you care about in some way
As a film, it's honestly not all that great.
I think it's because I could see how poorly they put the chronology together, yet tried to make it look like a smooth running year.
There are elements in the movie that move to fiction. For example, Colin is depicted as hitting the game winning last second shot for the Sectional finals when Warsaw actually won that game by 8 points. Recognizing some of these elements kind of bothered me, but didn't completely turn me off. These were still real kids living out their real senior year on film.
I think it's also because the sights (noa noa restaurant, Benigans, the High School, NorthWood's gym, etc.) and people (Colin came to our Hayride Outreach) are so familiar I felt like there was too much story missing.
So why would I recommend it?
Although I wasn't an enormous fan of the "format" of the movie, the focus of the movie is so valuable. Here's why I think you should sit down with a pen and paper and watch this movie.
- You are given a fairly unfiltered look into the life of the American Teen. Obviously they know they are on camera, and that would seem to limit what you see, but if you are getting a tame look, it may break your heart even more to think what some were doing with the cameras "off".
- Warsaw is not a "troubled town" with "troubled kids". If you're reading this blog, it's more than likely a great snapshot of "your kids."
- Because of length, the movie does take a bit of a "stereotyping" approach by making each of the 5 characters an archetype (the jock, the geek, the rebel, the heartthrob and the princess). This is not necesarrily a bad thing as these labels are present in the school.
- The kids are likable. In watching, you want to pull for them. You want to see them succeed. As a follower of Christ, I desperately want them to discover who they are in Christ, and what they can accomplish in following him.
- There is much to watch and learn as the scenes in the lives of these students unfold.
- (*edit: thought I had this in my original post, but left it out... read comments to see why I put it back in). There is some great insights to be gained as you watch family dynamics (specifically parental roles). If you are watching as a parent, ask yourself how you would look on screen (something that was incredibly sobering for me in 2004 while watching the Youth Pastor in the movie Saved.)
One is the hilariously uncomfortable "long kiss goodnight" scene with Jake (the geek) where he and his date are standing at the door, knowing they want to kiss but both struggling with the boldness to lean in and do it. This is worth watching solely for the amusement of putting yourself personally in that time frame. It's eerily humourous, yet a valuable reminder of the relational pressures and emotions that are present in those years.
The second involves Megan (the princess) and her best "guy friend" as they are in her basement watching pornography and drinking. The conversation and actions are heartbreaking, but all to common when it comes to the "non-commital" nature taken toward sexuality.
Rob Henschen commented on my Facebook about this movie...
good film...but it makes me a little sad if that kind of behavior is common place...I guess I'm a little too old and out of touch....
There are probably some extremes depicted in this movie... yet as I said when I responded to Rob, it's probably more common place than we realize. It's easy to, as Rob said, "become too old and out of touch."
90 minutes out of your life to watch this movie could help bridge that gap a little.
Trailers for the movie:
*You may have to work a little to find the DVD. It wasn't available at Red Box, but it was at Movie Gallery. I actually bought a used copy there.
5 comments:
It's also worth noting how, despite that a couple of the kids do really dumb and hurtful things to each other, the worst and least defensible behavior is that of the parents.
Megan comes off as not entirely likeable, but her father -- recognizing that there is likely more to the man than appears in the movie -- is wholly unlikeable. (Need we look any farther than his reaction to Megan's hateful vandalism escapade? He chastised her for getting caught, not for doing it. At least she has the excuse of ignorant youth.) Hannah's mom is awash with mental health issues that she imposes on Hannah. It's a minor miracle that Hannah is as well adjusted and driven as she is. Colin's dad's Elvis impersonating gig is probably not deeply problematic in any long-term sense, but I would guess made for some tough times for Colin socially.
These kids appeared throughout the movie to be as rocked by parental pressure and questionable parenting as they did by peer pressure.
I think it's important not to lose sight of that.
When I re-entered the classroom at Northwood this past fall, it had been over 11 years since I had taught. I was completely shocked at how much the kids at the high school had changed overall. I don't think most parents realize what kind of things their kids are hearing about, seeing, and doing. For the first week, I swore I was going to homeschool my kids instead of sending them there. But every day I was there, the value of a solid youth group, parental involvement and concern in their child's life, and a good group of close Christian friends showed me that my kids will be okay if I arm them through Christian parenting, their involvement in student ministries at church, and prayer. Although my hope and prayer is that I will be teaching there permanently when they are students there, I have more confidence that I can help my kids through their teen years and not have them become a statistic. High school is a scary place and Satan has quite the foothold there, but he won't win the battle for my kids!
Prof P,
As to the role of parents... very true. I had thought I included a bullet point about paying special attention to the family dynamics, parental roles, and the influence they have on the kids.
In fact, probably important enough that I will go add that bullet point now.
I just rented the dvd at the Westfield Library last week. Haven't watched it yet, but Joe and I will tonight. Thanks for the insight before I watch it!
tia
Having known the Krizmanich and Reinholt(although not certain of his family) families from my time at Grace College we really enjoyed this docu-movie.
We weren't too shocked at anything we saw....saddened? Very much so.
A range of emotions from protectionism, to fear, to trust, to fear again ran through us. As parents we feel the obligation and responsibility of guiding, teaching and raising our children according to what we feel the Word of God says.
Have I used the phrase, "Help us Lord!" before? Because it fits us perfectly. Trying to balance out expectations with freedom is a difficult task that can ONLY be accomplished with trust that God loves our children even more than we do.
That realization is more comforting than any other thought as our kids grow physically and emotionally.
He loves them, unconditionally.
Joe
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