Espírito Jovem

I am glad that Elle Fanning got to showcase her genuine vocal talent in this movie through the character Violet which is rare for most actors in singing roles.

What ruined this movie though was the screen play which was deathly boring and mediocre. I am not the biggest fan of Elle Fanning, but she can do much better than this, had it not been for her this would have been a complete waste.

Teen Spirit is that movie which showcases how talented the lead actor is. Elle Fanning was simply brilliant in this movie and there's no doubt that she will be a future star. But the movie is almost it. Just Elle Fanning and a very good soundtracks. The movie is cliche and there's nothing new to it than some good visuals. The characters didn't have any depth apart from Fanning's Violet. Overall, Teen Spirit is watchable for Elle Fanning and the songs.

Teen Spirit doesn't try to be something it's not. It provides face-value entertainment for 90 minutes. It's definitely worth watching for Elle Fanning's performance alone.

Acting: 8/10. Fanning is superb (acting, singing and dancing); supporting cast is convincing enough. Plot: 7/10. Good pacing; visual storytelling is favoured over dialogue; average character development; one or two unexpected twists; decent conclusion. Production: 8.5/10. Believable locations, sets, costumes, etc. Soundtrack: 6/10. Notably predictable songs throughout. (Perhaps that was intentional; this is a movie about a pop music contest, after all.)

Overall recommendation: Watch it (once is enough).

The first two thirds of the film put me on life support. There was a glimmer of hope near the end, but then the film was over and I realized we never got anywhere. Not satisfying at all and really a waste of time unless you're just a massive Elle Fanning fan.

What makes a good film can be subjective, but a critical concept is that you need proper pacing and contrast between different types of scenes. Nobody wants 60 minutes of the camera pointed at a tree... They tried to put a couple things in, like the scene involving a horse and then some drinking later on, but it was seriously still a bore.

I got a few "Smash" (TV series from 2012) flashbacks while watching this but that was probably just my brain trying to stay awake...

Teen Spirit is a very well made musical drama. Elle Fanning delivers an excellent lead performance. She shines throughout this film. The supporting cast also does a good job in this film. The film is very well directed by first timer Max Minghella. The film is very stylish, and makes good use of its pop soundtrack. You are never bored during its runtime, even when you know where this film is going. Easily the film's main weaknesses is its storyline. You know where the film is going right from the start. But it's so well done that you can forgive it. Overall, this isn't anything really new, but it's well made enough to keep you entertained.