Review by robertjstava

As in the review title I felt this film had elements of those classic films with a contemporary spin. Several reviews claimed it doesn't get into new territory and that's simply not true. Yes, 'Coast' hits on many universal 'coming of age' themes growing up in a small, dead-end town, where there's a lot of pressure to stay put and not follow one's dreams, but this movie is much more complicated and nuanced than that, particularly with the side stories outside the main characters. For starters, it's not your typical 'California' town we always see in Hollywood, but a rural farming community with a large immigrant population. The 2nd Generation Issei Japanese girl trying to grapple with being treated like an exotic Panda bear was something I've never seen before, as was the Latina trying to balance the obligations of her family vs natural teenage rebeliousness and the hard truth that sometimes we're not as good as our dreams...no, there's some pretty good new ground to get into here. Last, I really enjoyed the soundtrack and some of the sly references, including the Smiths and Husker Du. In a world of ever formulaic movies, this one is worth taking time to watch, absorb, and enjoy.