As You Are

There is quite a good film here, from excellent cinematography to a brilliantly lo-key cast. The screenwriter and director should be commended for creating a film which is both a convincing coming-of-age drama (set around 1994), and a rumination on reality and truth. Whether it was influenced directly by Kurosawa's Rashomon is unclear, but the similarities are too striking to not be commented on. Formally, As You Are can be seen as a formal imitation of Rashomon, as it is structured upon a murder investigation, chapterized by the interrogations of the law official, and different flashbacks developing the story, but without ever coming to straight out answers to the mystery. A director could do worse than imitate and develop structures and themes first put on film by the great Japanese master. And this fine film results in a brilliant homage, rather than a plagiarized pastiche.

I loved this movie. The acting was great, as was the cinematography. Best coming of age story I've seen in a long, long time. I can't believe this was the director's first film! More details below. It was great seeing Mary Stuart Masterson on the big screen again. She does a wonderful job as a vulnerable, yet still sexy, single mom. Scott Cohen is very believable as the tough, bullying military-type dad. And the actors who play the 3 teenage friend are all fantastic! I remember Amanda Stenberg from "Hunger Games", and she is wonderful as the smart, yet isolated, adopted daughter of a white family. Owen Campbell deserves an Oscar for his fantastic performance as Mary Stuart Masterson's lonely but loving son. And watch out for British actor Charlie Heaton, whose strong acting and brooding good looks are reminiscent of a young James Dean or Marlon Brando. Last but not least, I can't wait to see future films directed by the young prodigy Miles Joris-Peyrafitte. Oh, and he was the screenwriter too, along with his friend and co-author Madison Harrison. In summary, a great film, well-directed, well-produced and well-acted.

"As You Are" is one of those rare films that comes along every two or three years that really resonates with the viewer through its pure unabashed story telling and painful true to life's circumstances.

This inspired coming of age film, set in the early to mid 90's is about a single Mom and her son who welcome to their home a man (dating the mother) and his son and the sons become best friends. They are teenagers and cut from the same cloth, so they get attached very quickly. There are several facets to the story line and plot I will not divulge so as to not spoil the film for potential viewers.

The film progresses through a taut and harrowing undercurrent of brewing violence and uncertainty from the Adult Man figure and thus, his son rebels and it affects his new friend/roommate/brother of sorts, as Well as the Mother figure. The film illustrates the difficulties teen's face when subjected to ridicule for being outsiders and struggling with their own sexuality. Not to mention Having to deal with an unstable home environment.

The story is told from the perspective of a detective interviewing various members of the cast through the eye of a camera's lens, which Is not made clear till the end of the film. the film. This is tackled by the detectives interviews with the various characters portrayed throughout.

Acting and Direction was fabulous. Plot and story line tight and told with gritty realism. It addresses some difficult subject matter and by no means is it a "feel good movie", but one well worth watching.

I applaud the Director And actors alike for telling a story not easily told or accepted as mainstream popular. There should be more films like "As you are", made.

A definite recommendation for anyone tired of the commercial garbage typically pumped daily by large production Co.'s and big name Media giants.

I watched this movie based off the suggestions: Perks of Being a Wallflower, Little Miss Sunshine, and Everything Sucks. It was the same level of sadness as Perks of Being a Wallflower, but with the realism of Little Miss Sunshine & decade piece feel of Everything Sucks. It is placed in the time period around Kurt Cobain's death, which is given a nod in the title of the movie. It's a coming-of-age film with emphasis on relationships, violence, and compassion. If you need to shed a tear, this movie will probably destroy you. Overall, a decent drama giving perspective to multiple layer themes. 7/10.

When I saw the trailer, I thought the story they were suggesting was compelling enough to go see it. Then I see the movie and come to realize what the trailer was selling was only the tip of the ice berg on how rich and intelligent this film is. It's rare that a trailer that only shows one layer of the film has a movie that still has many good layers to see, and has a great story that was not fully reveled in the trailer.

First and foremost, it's a coming of age story about Jack, whose an awkward teenager living in a small town in the mid-90s going through that phase of trying to find yourself (Somewhat with the words of Kurt Corbain. hence the title). Then he finds a companion in Mark, someone going through the same thing, making him easy to talk to. This part of the movie is done perfectly. It's the part most, if not all of us can relate to. Then Mark and Jack's relationship gets complicated as they explore a part of it that's beyond friendship.

Adding to the complexity is Sarah, a girl who completes a tribunal of friendship as she likes both boys equally(but does gravitate more towards one over the other), and Mark's dad Tom whose courting Jack's mom, who comes off as a well meaning man whose too hard on Mark and too macho to be of any good to either teenage boy.

And as interesting as this layered story is there is also the layer that goes over gun control. Filmed as a flashback of the characters being integrated by a police officer, the movie does spark an interesting conversation over guns. It literally goes from a innocent scene of a man teaching youths how to properly handle firearms to bringing up an issue of how harmful a gun can be in emotional unstable hands.

As You Are is a great film. It's the type of movie that's real relatable on a lot of levels and it makes you want to talk about it (Very Similar to the band and the type of music the characters listen to in the film). One of my favorite coming of age stories.

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