A documentary about five students negotiating their senior year at a high school in Warsaw, Indiana may not sound particularly appealing, but director Nanette Burstein has chosen her participants well. At times it feels as though we're watching a scripted movie with paid actors instead of "real" kids, each with her/his problems to share, but that doesn't prevent the audience from becoming emotionally invested in each of their plights.

The student we love to hate is Megan Krizmanich. She's the youngest daughter of the wealthiest family in town, descended from a long line of Notre Dame grads. She feels enormous pressure to get accepted at ND because she knows her father would be greatly disappointed if she doesn't. Megan is blond, smart --- the most popular girl in school --- and a total bitch. She starts out the year by orchestrating the complete and utter humiliation of one of her closet friends. She's so nasty and controlling that you begin to root against her when her letter eventually comes from Notre Dame, until we learn of her family tragedy.

Jake Tusing is the "geek" chosen for this project. He plays in the band and has no self-esteem, coupled with a terrible case of acne. His overwhelming desire his senior year is to have a girlfriend, which he achieves eventually. He may have issues, but he never gives up.

The two jocks are Colin Clemens and Mitch Reinholt. Both are basketball players in a town (and state) that is all about basketball (remember 'Hoosiers'?). Clemens is desperate to have a great senior year in his sport because he needs a scholarship to attend college. Reinholt is the ultimate good-looking "nice guy" whom everyone likes. This kid seems to possess no flaws until he suddenly and inexplicably breaks up with a girl via texting.

The fifth person is Hannah Bailey, who becomes the student for whom everyone in the audience is rooting. She's a pretty dark-haired girl marching to her own drummer. She knows she doesn't fit in with this student body that is "mostly white, mostly Christian", but she's happy to do her own thing, until her long-time boyfriend breaks up with her and she falls into deep despair. We watch, cheering this girl on as she comes close to getting kicked out of school for lack of attendance. But Hannah fights her way back to a healthy realization of what she wants for her life after graduation.

Burstein does an admirable job despite the fact that at times the film has more of a reality show feel to it than a documentary. What's most important is that we care about these students. During the closing credits we are given brief synopses of their lives after high school, and without that, the project would not have been complete. All in all, an excellent look at the trials and tribulations of high school ---- especially if you have a teenager in the house.

Opinion: See It Now!