Towards the end of this surprisingly engrossing documentary, I was thinking about a sequel showcasing the main characters, where the filmmaker would pick up their true life stories several years from now. This is hardly a new premise, having been done before with the 'Seven Up!' series which updated a group of British children's lives every seven years. As we get to know these high school seniors from Warsaw, Indiana in 'American Teen', it occurred to me that it would be fascinating to see what direction their lives had taken in 2011, for example, when they all would have progressed beyond their college years.

The fact that anyone (me) would care enough to project this far into the future speaks volumes for the fine work of documentarian/writer/director Nanette Burstein, who somehow managed to capture the ups/downs, pains/pleasures, and general angst of high school life when her subjects knew they were on camera! The stereotypical personalities are all on display, and there's nothing wrong with that --- isn't that what high school is all about?

The film focuses on the spoiled Miss Popularity (Megan Krizmanich), two jock basketball players (Colin Clemens and Mitch Reinholt), the pimply-faced geek (Jake Tusing) and perhaps the most likeable of the group, the nonconformist-that-nobody-notices pretty girl (Hannah Bailey). A few other notable students are spotlighted, but these five are central to the movie's theme that we can all identify with, namely that high school can be pretty rough emotionally, whether you're attractive, smart, nerdy, not-so-bright, rich, poor or any other adjective that fits. The pressure seniors face in terms of getting into college is also critical, exemplified by something as insignificant as a missed free throw in the big game.

Kids can obviously be cruel at that age, and do stupid things, so when they reflect back on it, they usually realize the immaturity of their actions. One boy regrets having broken up with his girlfriend by texting her via cell phone. One girl makes the poor decision to e-mail a picture of herself topless, and as the photo makes its way not only around the school, but around the internet, she faces a mountain of ridicule.

Some of these teens we root for ---- others, not so much. As you watch this extraordinary film (a Sundance favorite) and reflect on your own high school experience ---- whether you were part of the popular clique, the nerds, or somewhere in between ---- you'll want to stick around for the closing credits. We actually do get a glimpse of what the future has held for these kids (albeit only a couple of years) since the movie was filmed in 2006. And with its PG-13 rating, and no preoccupation with sex, you can be comfortable sending your own teens to see it.

Opinion: Strong See It Now!