Giovani guerrieri

The kids are not all right in New Granada!

This film very accurately portrays what life was really like for many teenagers who lived in the suburbs during the 1970s.

Growing up, my own life was very much like those of the teens in this movie: I was a teenager in the mid-70s and I lived in exactly the same sort of constantly under-development, suburban wasteland where whole mobs of kids were pretty much left to their own devices by parents who were too busy chasing the American Dream to notice what we were really up to; a place where there was easy access to lots and lots of cheap drugs and alcohol, and where boredom reigned supreme (remember, these were the days before the Internet, VCRs, or even home video games).

If you were ever rebellious and grew up during the same time period and in the same sort of suburban community, then I guarantee that virtually every character in this movie will remind you of someone you knew back then (maybe even yourself!).

Over The Edge is a 1979 coming of age crime drama about a town full of board rebellious teenagers looking for a good time any way they can find it. But when one of their own is killed by the town's police Sergeant they decide to take action.

I had never heard of this movie before until recently, but was very glad I did because it's a pretty good film. The story was intriguing and had authentic characters with a great cast behind them that really helped deliver the story home. Jonathan Kaplan's direction was good and captured quite nicely the frustration and angst that small town living can bring to a young teen with nothing to do.

Although maybe not for everybody I really enjoyed this movie and if you haven't seen it before, I would recommend giving it a watch.

John Evens Jr. High School in Greeley Colorado had a casting call prior to the filming for extras. If I remember right we got 25 dollars for each days work and we got fed.

Greeley was pretty much the perfect place for this movie. There was a huge teen violence problem there. even at age 12 I carried a pistol and roamed the city at will with other kids fearing attack from gangs of older teens. Drugs were everywhere.

The movie captured all that stupidity plus the Apathy and ignorance of the adults. I loved the scenes where we rioted in the Circus tent styled John Evens Jr. High School......made it hard to attend class the following year.

History has proved that the film makers knew what kind of society America would become...Cookie cutter homes,strip malls and teen murderers......Art predicts life.

Carl (Michael Eric Kramer) is a teenager living in the dull suburban neighborhood of New Granada, an entertainment desert where the only place for kids to hang out is the local rec center. He's not alone in his boredom, frustration, and anger. There's nothing to do except for getting drunk / high, committing vandalism, and having sex.

Enter Richie (Matt Dillon), a troubled teen whom Carl happens to idolize. Together, they attempt to find some reason to keep going.

With OVER THE EDGE, Director Jonathan Kaplan has perfectly captured the atmosphere and bleakness of the "instant neighborhoods" that sprang up like mushrooms then, and still do. One day it's farmland, the next day it's full of brand new construction on desolate streets. The oblivious, domesticated adults have their jobs and spouses, while their kids must fend for themselves.

Personally, I remember this well, and this movie is so realistic it's scary! The party scene sends chills down my spine, remembering the music, the booze, the smoke, the cops, etcetera. This is the most honest representation of this era and its cookie-cutter towns that I've ever seen. I watched it in 1980 or so, and laughed, cried, and related to everyone in it. Especially Carl. Hell, I jumped out of my seat and cheered during the fiery finale!

If you were there, you probably did the same...

I first saw the movie when it opened in the spring of 1980, on a double bill with "Little Darlings". I ended up seeing it twice. I was the age of the kids in the film at the time, and my bull***t detector didn't go off once during the course of watching this film. The kids were real, the words natural and unaffected, and the whole thing about the boredom that is so prevailing when you're a teenager was right on the money. I remember as I watched the movie thinking that the clothes the kids were wearing looked worn just enough, like they had come out of the actors' own closets. Matt Dillon's first movie - I read that he auditioned for the part as something to do while he skipped school for a day. He reminded me utterly of my then high school boyfriend, right down to the voice, clothes and cocky attitude. The music was exactly what me and all my friends were listening to - Cheap Trick (the earlier, not-played-on-the-radio songs) and the Cars. Ok, so perhaps it was a little unrealistic at parts, and the soundtrack could have done without the Valerie Carter song, but wow, what a great little movie. Rent a copy, go home, slap it in your vcr, and get out your bong and a couple of beers. You won't be dissapointed, not even a little bit.