True Adolescents

2011

True Adolescents

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Movie Info

Craig Johnson's poised and poignant first feature follows Sam (Mark Duplass), an, unbeknownst to him, washed-up rocker in the early stages of haggard. Jobless and apartment-less, he crashes with his aunt (a compassionate Melissa Leo) as a last resort and becomes reluctant camping-trip chaperone to her teenage son and a pal. That the three males are on par, maturity-wise, makes for engaging ensemble juvenilia. But in the stirring Pacific Northwest wilderness a surprising discovery turns dire -- and the distance from boy to man must be covered overnight. Duplass's ballsy and at times balls-out performance is a winner, particularly when Sam at long last takes stock of himself: it ain't pretty. -- (C) Official Site

Rating:

NR
Genre:

Comedy
Directed By:

Craig Johnson
Written By:

Craig Johnson
In Theaters:

Jul 29, 2011 limited
On Disc/Streaming:

Aug 30, 2011
Runtime:

88 minutes
Studio:

New Video

Cast

Mark Duplass
as Sam

Brett Loehr
as Oliver

Bret Loehr
as Oliver

Melissa Leo
as Sharon

Carr Thompson
as Jake

Critic Reviews for True Adolescents

All Critics (8) | Top Critics (3) | Fresh (6) | Rotten (2)

Time and again, "True Adolescents" resists the temptation to succumb to easy melodrama.

July 28, 2011 | Rating: 3.5/5

Stephen Holden
New York Times
Top Critic
True Adolescents bears the dubious distinction of combining mumblecore's penchant for artistic slackers with Hollywood's celebration of immature slobs.

July 26, 2011 | Full Review…

Ronnie Scheib
Variety
Top Critic
A not-coming-of-age tale nestled in sardonic slacker humor, first-time writer-director Craig Johnson's True Adolescents effectively essays the costs of postponed adulthood.

July 26, 2011 | Full Review…

Mark Holcomb
Village Voice
Top Critic
First-time director Craig Johnson hits the ball out of the park in this perceptive slacker-humored but bleak coming-of-age story.

November 2, 2011 | Rating: B+ | Full Review…

Dennis Schwartz
Dennis Schwartz Movie Reviews
Once it hits its stride, it's oddly compelling stuff.

September 23, 2011 | Rating: 2.5/4 | Full Review…

Mike Scott
Times-Picayune
There's something refreshing about True Adolescents. It feels like mumblecore's inherent immaturity finally coming of age.

September 5, 2011 | Rating: B | Full Review…

Matt Singer
IFC.com
Yet another movie about a blinkered man-child reaching the limits of his extended childhood, True Adolescents seems as lazy and mush-brained as its central character.

July 25, 2011 | Rating: 1.5/4 | Full Review…

Jesse Cataldo
Slant Magazine
While True Adolescents may be typical of its genre, it's a solid, well-made entry, with a few details (like its treatment of sexual identity) that help it stand apart from the pack.

April 4, 2011 | Rating: B | Full Review…

Eric D. Snider
EricDSnider.com

View All Critic Reviews (8)

Audience Reviews for True Adolescents

Mar 20, 2012

Cast: Mark Duplass, Bret Loehr, Carr Thompson, Melissa Leo Director: Craig Johnson Summary: Bowing to pressure from his aunt, juvenile-minded, thirty-something, wanna-be rocker Sam agrees to take two teenagers camping. But when the trip goes awry, Sam must break out of his arrested development and find a way to get them all back to safety. My Thoughts: "I thought the movie was funny and realistic. The main character, Sam, reminds me of my older brother. He lives wherever and is still very much stuck in his teen era, even though he's in his early forties. The movie doesn't have many players in it, but the actor's are great in this and the film is actually quite funny. Sam is a bit of a smartass who is stuck in his hipster ways all the way down to his skinny jeans. I am a true believer that men shouldn't wear those if they are past their twenties. Then you have Oliver, who is a bit of a jerk as well as his friend Jake, who seems to take a backseat to Oliver. They are both going through regular teenage stuff, dealing with mixed emotions and sexuallity. But on the camping trip these three embark on, Sam grows up and becomes an adult and the two jerky teenagers learn to accept themselves and not be so passive agressive. Not a bad movie and I loved how simple it was. Just seemed honest. I like simple honest films. Makes them human and relateable."

♥˩ƳИИ & Super Reviewer