I'm rating it a 6 and I'm being generous here. This movie was recommended to me by a friend who's very much into 80's/90's visuals and themes and especially interested in vapor/synthwave. I was expecting a lot more of it - but nonetheless it did deliver its promised dose of nostalgia. I wasn't even born in 1991 and I got a weird feeling from this movie which kind of went against everything I've read and seen from that time period - while it was set in the early 90's, it definitely gave me more of a 50's vibe. That was weird but I accepted it.
This movie is a visual treat for all of those interested in the art of cinematography and photography. Amazing colours, very cool action sequences, the night scenes were especially rich and intense. It feels like a giant videoclip with very cinematic moments accompanied by a carefully chosen soundtrack. But I will say the music distracted me a lot from the action. Since this is more of a subtle type of coming-of-age, you have to pay attention to what the characters are saying, feeling and expressing. A lot of the times it felt like the characters were doing things just for the coolness of it - badass car rides with badass music, beating people up, doing drugs, it felt cheap and predictable. And not just that - the constant use of music makes this movie a very confusing ride for me, one which I didn't particularly enjoy. I wanted to know more about the characters, their motivations, their dreams. Timothee does a good job portraying Daniel but unfortunately I just think the character wasn't very well written. You don't really get a glimpse into his teenage mind - all you see is him posturing as some kind of wannabe drug dealer wanting to look tough and mature. I suppose it has its charm, but he didn't win me over as the lead.
One thing I should underline is the amazing sequence with the fireworks at the fair when he walks up to McKayla and kisses her, with Space Oddity playing in the background. That was a very intense and well done scene, and for the most memorable in the whole movie, on par with the lollipop scene in the store... That was... probably the hottest thing I've seen in a while. Props to the camera work.
As for the other characters, I liked McKayla but didn't fall head over heels for her like the kid in the voice-over says everyone did. I'm not bashing the actress, I think she's pretty and most of all she gives McKayla that quality of unattainableness that makes the boys dream about her, as well as giving her an attitude typical of girls who know they make heads turn. But overall I think her character could have been more developed. At certain times she came across as a standard Manic Pixie Dream Girl (that's just my opinion tho).
If you're into the seemingly glamorous world of teenage drug-dealing, good visuals, nostalgic songs from the 70's, 80's and 90's, and Timothee Chalamet then go watch this movie. But if you're looking for something to wrack your brain and make you reflect and contemplate your life, I don't think this is it.
This movie is a visual treat for all of those interested in the art of cinematography and photography. Amazing colours, very cool action sequences, the night scenes were especially rich and intense. It feels like a giant videoclip with very cinematic moments accompanied by a carefully chosen soundtrack. But I will say the music distracted me a lot from the action. Since this is more of a subtle type of coming-of-age, you have to pay attention to what the characters are saying, feeling and expressing. A lot of the times it felt like the characters were doing things just for the coolness of it - badass car rides with badass music, beating people up, doing drugs, it felt cheap and predictable. And not just that - the constant use of music makes this movie a very confusing ride for me, one which I didn't particularly enjoy. I wanted to know more about the characters, their motivations, their dreams. Timothee does a good job portraying Daniel but unfortunately I just think the character wasn't very well written. You don't really get a glimpse into his teenage mind - all you see is him posturing as some kind of wannabe drug dealer wanting to look tough and mature. I suppose it has its charm, but he didn't win me over as the lead.
One thing I should underline is the amazing sequence with the fireworks at the fair when he walks up to McKayla and kisses her, with Space Oddity playing in the background. That was a very intense and well done scene, and for the most memorable in the whole movie, on par with the lollipop scene in the store... That was... probably the hottest thing I've seen in a while. Props to the camera work.
As for the other characters, I liked McKayla but didn't fall head over heels for her like the kid in the voice-over says everyone did. I'm not bashing the actress, I think she's pretty and most of all she gives McKayla that quality of unattainableness that makes the boys dream about her, as well as giving her an attitude typical of girls who know they make heads turn. But overall I think her character could have been more developed. At certain times she came across as a standard Manic Pixie Dream Girl (that's just my opinion tho).
If you're into the seemingly glamorous world of teenage drug-dealing, good visuals, nostalgic songs from the 70's, 80's and 90's, and Timothee Chalamet then go watch this movie. But if you're looking for something to wrack your brain and make you reflect and contemplate your life, I don't think this is it.